The Bowhead Whale, Balaena mysticetus , was classified by Linnaeus in 1758, meaning 'moustached sea monster'. The common name is derived from the extreme arching of the lower jaw. This is a large, stocky whale with no dorsal and a huge head. This lighter patch may contain black spotting. Occasionally there is a smiliar light area on the tail stock.
Flippers are small and rounded, and a small eye is set at the angle of the jaw.
The Bowhead Whale has the longest baleen plates of all baleen whales, typically reaching 4.3m in length, with around 700 plates per animal. A large whale with no dorsal can only be a Right or a Bowhead. To discern between the two, the Bowhead's white 'chin' is absent in Right Whales. At a distance, Bowheads do not have the head callosities that are common on Right Whales. The blow is bushy, V-shaped, and up to 6m high.