Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of the Western North Atlantic - LightNovelsOnl.com
You're reading novel online at LightNovelsOnl.com. Please use the follow button to get notifications about your favorite novels and its latest chapters so you can come back anytime and won't miss anything.
_Steno bredanensis_
p. 135]
Body to about 8 feet (2.4 m) long.
Body dark gray to purplish gray on back with white or pink blotches on sides; belly white.
Body frequently shows numerous white scars.
Head tapers gradually; beak long and slender; no clear separation of beak from forehead.
May ride bow waves.
Distribution in deep tropical waters.
[Sidenote: PYGMY KILLER WHALE
_Feresa attenuata_
p. 138]
Body to 8-9 feet (2.4-2.7 m) long.
Body black with white belly patch which may extend up sides in area of a.n.u.s.
Head rounded; no beak; lips white; lower jaw and chin may be white.
Dorsal fin to 15 inches (38 cm) tall, falcate; located near midpoint of back.
Distribution tropical and subtropical.
[Sidenote: MANY-TOOTHED BLACKFISH
_Peponocephala electra_
p. 142]
Body to about 9 feet (2.7 m) long.
Body black on back; light gray on belly.
Head rounded; no beak; underslung jaw; lips white.
Dorsal fin to 10 inches (25.4 cm), tall, distinctly back curved.
Distribution tropical (not yet reported in western North Atlantic).
[Sidenote: PYGMY SPERM WHALE
_Kogia breviceps_
p. 144]
Body to about 11 feet (3.4 m) long.
Body dark steel gray on back; lighter gray on sides; pinkish to white on belly (older animals speckled on belly).
Head blunt; jaw underslung; false gills or bracket marks on side of head.
Dorsal fin small; located in last one-third of body.
Has not been reported to ride bow waves.
Distribution in tropical and temperate waters.
[Sidenote: DWARF SPERM WHALE
_Kogia simus_
p. 148]
Body to about 9 feet (2.7 m) long.
Body dark steel gray on back; lighter gray on sides; pinkish to white on belly.
Head blunt; jaw underslung; false gills or bracket marks on side of head.
Body has two small creases on throat.
Dorsal fin like that of Atlantic bottlenosed dolphin; located near midpoint of back.
Has not been reported to ride bow waves.
Distribution poorly known; at least from Georgia to the tropical seas.
[Sidenote: HARBOR PORPOISE
_Phocoena phocoena_
p. 150]
Body to 5 feet (1.5 m) long.
Body dark brown above and white below; transition zone on sides often speckled or streaked; ventral white extends high onto side in front of dorsal fin.
Head rounded; beak small and indistinct.
Dorsal fin short and triangular.
Distribution in shallow waters from at least Delaware north; generally found insh.o.r.e; often in bays, river mouths and inlets.
Does not approach boats.
SPECIES ACCOUNTS
Large Whales With a Dorsal Fin
BLUE WHALE (B)[9]
_Balaenoptera musculus_ (Linnaeus 1758)
[Footnote 9: The letter in parentheses indicates whether the species is a baleen (B) or a toothed (T) whale.]
Other Common Names
Sulphur-bottom.
Description
