BIO378 Whale ID Flashcards
(20 cards)
Blue Whale
Range: Atlantic and Pacific
Size: 29 - 33m
colour: grey blue
small dorsal fin
u-shaped broad and flat with a ridge head
pleated throat
Big Blow hole
Fin Whale
Range: Atlantic and Pacific
Size: 27 m
colour: body is black/dark grey with white on the right side
Pointy head
Pleated throat
Narrow cone shape blow hole
slightly curved dorsal fin towards that back
light V shaped chevrons
Sei Whale
Range: Atlantic Pacific
Size: 17 m
Colour: Dark body
Tall bushy blow hole
Tall hooked dorsal fin
have scarring
pointy head with downturned jaw
Minke Whale
Range: Atlantic and Pacific
Size: 10 m
Colour: Dark grey with white stroked or chevrons
Small pointy head
Low bushy diffused blow hole
dorsal fin found 2/3 down of the body and is tall
pleated throat
white bands across flippers
Humpback Whale
Range: Atlantic and Pacific
Size: 17 m
Colour: dark coloured, whit underside, white/black patterned fluke
Head: Bumpy with Barnacles on the head
Tall bushy blow hole
Pleated throat
small dorsal fin rest on hump
long pectoral fins
Has lots of barnacles
Grey Whale
Range: Pacific
Size: 15 m
Colour: molted grey with scaring covered in barnacles and whale lice
U shaped head, upper jaw longer than lower jaw
Long bushy blow hole often heart shaped
No dorsal fin instead dorsal hump
Don’t have throat groves
Bowhead Whale
Range: Artic
Size: 20 m
Colour: black with scarring, white patch in front of jaw “beard”
Big head, distinct neck
V-shaped blow hole
No dorsal fin or hump
white on tail
small paddle-shaped flippers
North Atlantic Right Whale
Range: Atlantic
Size: 18 m
Colour: black with a white patch on belly
Head: U-shaped jaw, with callosities on head
No dorsal fin smooth back
V shape bushy blow hole
rough skin with whale lice
square broad flippers
stocky body
Sperm Whale
Range: Atlantic Pacific
Size: 11-18m
Colour: brown-grey body with wrinkled skin white lip.
rectangular shaped body
narrow small lower jaw with teet, upper jax has sockets to fill in those teeth
Bumpy triangular dorsal fin
one s shape blow hole towards top of the head
Northern Bottlenose Whale
Range: Atlantic
Size: 6-9 m
Colour: dark grey-brown with lighter melon
tile like beak
tall sickle shape dorsal fin
small rounded flippers close to the head
hang in a 45-degree angle
one pair of throat groves
Narhwal
Range: Arctic
Size 5.5 m
Colour: molted grey, dark back and lighter sides
round shape head
little/no beak long tusk
no dorsal fin
only 2 teeth , left tooth grows into a spiral tusk in males
Beluga Whale
Range: Arctic
Size: 3.5 m - 5.5 m
Colour: white, dark grey-brown as calves, can have yellow tinge
has a bulbous head , often wrinkle/flat rolls
very short beak, thick lips
No dorsal fin, shallow ridge
visible flexible neck and lips
Killer Whale
Range: Pacific Arctic and Atlantic
Size: 10 m
Colour: black with a white belly, white oval patch behind eye, grey patch near dorsal fin
Blunt snout
Tall pointed dorsal fin
large rounded flippers
Large flukes with white undersides
Pilot Whale
Range: Atlantic
Size: 5.7 m - 6.7 m
Black body, white anchor shape on throat, white/light saddle behind dorsal fin
Bulbous head
Long flippers
short stubby beak
Wide and short and rounded dorsal fin
8-13 pairs of sharp pointed teeth
Atlantic White Sided Dolphin
Range: Atlantic
Size 2.4-2.8 m
Colour: black/dark grey back, grey stripe and white underside. Yellow patch on tail stock
Short think beak, black line along beak and eye
Dorsal fin: tall slightly curved
Deep tailstock
White-Beaked Dolphin
Range: Atlantic
Size: 2.4 -3.1 m
Colour: most of body is black/dark grey, white belly and whitish region of upper flank and tail stock
Short think beak
Very tall slight curved dorsal fin
Pacific Right Sided Dolphin
Range: Pacific
Size: 2.5 m
Black/dark grey back , light grey sides and black border between side and white bottom
short thick beak with black lips and white lower jaw
Dorsal fin: Black and grey and tall curved
Large flippers with slightly rounded tips
Short Beaked Common dolphin
Range: Atlantic and Pacific
Size: 1.7-2.4 m
Colour: dark grey-brown back with V shaped light grey saddle. yellow throat, grey stripe on back and grey batch on slippers
Long pointed black beak with black eye mask
tall slightly curved dorsal fin
Dall Porpoise
Range: Pacific
Size: 1.7-2.4m
Colour: black with white lateral patches and belly, whit frosting dorsal fin and fluke
short beak, connecting with melon
Dorsal fin: wide-based, triangular hooked top with white coloration
Small slippers near the head
have the smallest teeth
Harbour porpoise
Range: Atlantic and Pacific
Size: 1.4 m to 1.6 m
Colour: countershading pattern; grey back, lighter sides with dark grey splotches, white belly
blunt short-beaked head
short, wide triangular in the middle of the back
