Baleen plates can be infested by copepods, nematodes, and protozoans. A parasitic copepod attaches in the blubber layer. Diatoms grow on the skin of some species, including the blue whale. This creates an olive-colored film on the skin surface. Some species such as gray and humpback whales are heavily infested by external parasites.
Barnacles feed on plankton in the water.
Whale lice feed on whale skin and damaged tissue such as a wound. F. Entrapment in ice. Baleen whales in polar areas may become entrapped in ice. All Rights Reserved.