Figure 76.—An unidentified beaked whale from the mid-Pacific. Note the marks along the back, presumably tooth rakes, consisting of scratches that are paired and close together. A beaked whale in the western North Atlantic marked in this manner would be a northern bottlenosed whale (p.67), a goosebeaked whale (p.70), or a True's beaked whale (p.77). These are the only three species in which the teeth are located close together near the tip of the lower jaw. (Photo by K. C. Balcomb.)
Figure 77.—Various views of a herd of five or six unidentified beaked whales, possibly dense-beaked whales, 12 miles off Pokai Bay, Oahu, Hawaii. The animals were very shy and had low indistinct blows, making them difficult to spot and track. As they surfaced, individuals frequently bucked their heads and slapped the chin against the surface, rather than rolling. They did not raise their tail flukes when beginning their long dives. (Photos by E. Shallenberger, Sea Life Park, Hawaii.) (Because so little is known of beaked whales every encounter should be recorded in as much detail as possible.)
Figure 78.—Adult male beaked whales, showing the body profile and the relative positions of the teeth. Remember that the teeth of females and immature males are concealed beneath the gums. (Drawing by L. Winn.)
None known.
True's beaked whales reach a length of at least 16 feet (4.9 m) long. They are chunky in midbody and narrow rapidly towards the tail, closely resembling goosebeaked whales (p.70). In overall body shape, the head is small with a slight indentation in the area of the blowhole, a slight bulge to the forehead, and a pronounced beak. The flippers are small (from one-fourteenth to one-tenth the body length). The dorsal fin is small, slightly falcate, located in the latter third of the back, and followed by a pronounced ridge on the tail stock. The flukes, which sometimes contain a very slight notch, are broad (to almost one-fifth the body length).
True's beaked whales are dull black to dark gray on the back, lighter slate gray on the sides, and white on the belly. The body is frequently covered with light colored spots or splotches and bears numerous pairs of scratch marks, presumably tooth rakes (Fig. 76).
The flippers are all black and are attached in the dark coloration of the animal's side. The flukes are dark above and below.
True's beaked whales are most likely to be confused with goosebeaked whales (p.70) but may also be confused with any of the other beaked whales species (p.74andFig. 78).
True's beaked whales appear to be primarily temperate in distribution. They have been reported from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia south as far as Flagler Beach in Florida. Northernmost records are for summer months.
The range of True's beaked whales overlaps with that of the Antillean beaked whale but is more northerly.
The teeth of adult male True's beaked whales may be visible near the tip of the lower jaw, a characteristic shared with the goosebeaked whale (p.70) and the northern bottlenosed whale (p.67). Both these other species reach substantially greater maximum lengths than True's beaked whales, however, and should be readily distinguishable by this and the number of other highly distinctive characteristics of each species.
Females and subadult males may be confused with any of the beaked whales species (p.74andFig. 78).
Figure 79.—Two views of the body of a stranded True's beaked whale from northeastern Florida. This species reaches at least 16 feet (4.9 m) and closely resembles the goosebeaked whale in general body shape. It is distributed in temperate waters from Nova Scotia to Florida. (Photos courtesy of Marineland of Florida.)
Figure 80.—The head of a True's beaked whale stranded in North Carolina. Note the small head, the pronounced beak, and the position of the blowhole in the indentation behind the forehead. The teeth, visible above the gums only in adult males, are in the position indicated by the arrow. The photo on the right shows the two V-shaped throat grooves characteristic of beaked whales. (Photos from U.S. National Museum, courtesy of J. G. Mead.)
Gulfstream beaked whale, Gervais' beaked whale.
Antillean beaked whales reach a length of at least 22 feet (6.7 m). They are slender in form and appear somewhat laterally compressed (i.e., taller than they are wide). The head is extremely small and tapers rapidly to a narrow beak. The flippers are small (to about one-twelfth the body length) with their origin well down on the sides of the body. The dorsal fin is small, located behind the midpoint of the back, and variable in shape from falcate to triangular. The flukes are less than one-fifth the body length and are not notched.
Antillean beaked whales are dark grayish black on the back and sides, slightly lighter on the abdomen. The flukes are dark gray above and below.
Antillean beaked whales are probably primarily oceanic in distribution and are known to feed on squid.
Antillean beaked whales may be confused with any of the other beaked whales though they are larger than all except the northern bottlenosed whale (p.67) and the goosebeaked whale (p.70).
Antillean beaked whales have been reported stranded from the latitude of Long Island, N.Y. south to Florida, thence into the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.
The teeth of Antillean beaked whales are located at the suture of the mandible, about one-third of the way from the tip of the snout to the corner of the mouth (Fig. 78).
Figure 81.—Two views of an Antillean beaked whale stranded in New Jersey in 1899. Note the very small head, the prominent back-curved dorsal fin, and the slightly concave rear margin of the tail flukes, which lack a distinct notch. (Photos by F. W. True, courtesy of U.S. National Museum.)
Figure 82.—Two views of an Antillean beaked whale stranded in Jamaica. This species reached at least 22 feet (6.7 m) in length. Compared to the smaller True's beaked whale, Antillean beaked whales have a smaller head, a narrower beak, and a taller, narrower body. Furthermore, the teeth of this species are located about one-third of the way back from the tip of the snout to the corner of the mouth. (Photos by J. J. Rankin.)
None known.
Dense-beaked whales reach a length of at least 17 feet (5.2 m). The body is distinctly spindle-shaped. The head, the contour of which is the most distinctive characteristic of this species, is marked by a prominent rise, located near the angle of the gape on each side. This rise, which bears the teeth, gives a peculiar high, arching contour to the mouth (Fig. 84), particularly in adult males.
The flippers are small (one-eleventh to one-tenth the body length) and have their origin in the lighter color of the lower sides. The dorsal fin varies from small and triangular to nearly falcate and pointed on the tip. It is located behind the midpoint of the back. The flukes are from one-sixth to one-fifth the body length, are seldom notched, and occasionally even bulge slightly backwards near the center of the rear margin.
Dense-beaked whales are black or charcoal gray on the back, slightly lighter on the abdomen. They are somewhat blotched with grayish white and are often extensively scratched or scarred. The flippers are lighter than the back. The flukes are dark above, light below.
From stomach contents of stranded animals dense-beaked whales are known to feed on squid.
Adult male dense-beaked whales can be separated from the other beaked whales by the high, arching contour to the corners of the mouth. If there is no adult male in the group, however, dense-beaked whales may be confused with any of the other beaked whales species.
Dense-beaked whales have been reported from Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia south to Florida. From all accounts, this species appears widely but sparsely distributed in warm temperate seas.
Adults of this species should be distinguishable by the highly distinctive contour of the mouth. The teeth, located in the high rise of the mouth, are oriented slightly backwards.
Figure 83.—A dense-beaked whale in the tank at New York Aquarium. Note the position of the prominent dorsal fin, just breaking the surface. The blow of beaked whales is usually small and inconspicuous and reportedly projects markedly forward from the head. (Photo by J. G. Mead.)
Figure 84.—Views of the heads of dense-beaked whales. Females (bottom) and immature males have a slight curvature to the rear of the mouth. As they mature, males (middleandtop) begin to display the two arching prominences near the corners of the mouth which give the characteristic contour to the mouth. The teeth are located in these prominences and are oriented slightly backwards. (Photos from northeastern Florida by W. A. Huck, courtesy of Marineland of Florida [top and middle] and by J. G. Mead [bottom].)
Figure 85.—A dense-beaked whale stranded in northeastern Florida. This species reaches about 17 feet (5.2 m) and is black or charcoal gray on the back, lighter gray on the sides, and frequently marked with grayish-white blotches and often extensively scarred. (Photo by W. A. Huck, courtesy of Marineland of Florida.)
Sowerby's beaked whale.
North Sea beaked whales reach a length of at least 16.5 feet (5 m). The body is distinctly spindle-shaped, but apparently more robust near midbody than that of the dense-beaked whale. The head is characterized by a pronounced bulge in front of the blowhole, a slightly concave forehead, and a moderate to long beak. The flippers are relatively long (one-eighth to one-ninth the body length). The dorsal fin is reportedly tall and variable in shape from triangular to slightly falcate and is located just behind the midpoint of the back. The flukes are not notched but are sometimes quite concave on the rear margin.
Adult North Sea beaked whales are dark charcoal gray on the back with white spots overall. Young animals are also dark charcoal gray on the back but are lighter on the belly and are unspotted. The flukes of adults are dark above and below. Those of young are dark above, lighter below.
North Sea beaked whales are known to feed on squid.
North Sea beaked whales are the most northerly species of beaked whales. No other species is very likely to be encountered in the same area.
North Sea beaked whales have been reported in the offshore waters from the latitude of New England north perhaps to the pack ice. Individuals are occasionally drawn to the coasts of Newfoundland in summer, presumably by concentrations of squid, a known food item.
The teeth of North Sea beaked whales are located about midway between the tip of the snout and the corner of the mouth. Except for this characteristic and their northerly distribution, however, this species might easily be confused with any other of the beaked whales species.
Figure 86.—North Sea beaked whales are the most northerly of the beaked whale species, extending north as far as the pack ice. They reach at least 16.5 feet (5.0 m) and can be identified on the beach by the position of the teeth near the middle of the lower jaw. Little is known of the species at sea. (Drawing by L. Winn.)
Figure 87.—A female North Sea beaked whale (16.5 feet [5.0 m]) stranded in Hjertuika in 1957. (Photo courtesy of A. Jonsgard.)
Blackfish (see also pilot whales, p.91and94), sword fish (Canada), grampus (see p.96), whitefish (St. Vincent), Espladon (Quebec).
Killer whales are the largest member of the dolphin family. Adult males reach a length of at least 30 feet (9.1 m) and are robust in form. One specimen of 31 feet (9.5 m) was recorded for the western North Pacific. Females are considerably smaller and less stocky. Newborn are approximately 7-8 feet (2.1-2.4 m) long. Killer whales have large paddle-shaped flippers.
The most distinctive field character of the species is the dorsal fin. In adult males it is extremely erect and may be as much as 6 feet (1.8 m) tall. Though the fin of females and immature males is less than 3 feet (0.9 m) tall, it is nonetheless taller even in these animals than in any other cetacean species and is distinctly falcate and pointed on the tip.
Killer whales are basically black with an extensive region of white on the undersides extending from the lower jaw to the anal region with a branch extending onto the flanks behind the dorsal fin. There is an oval white patch on the side of the head just above and behind the eye. In newborn and very young calves, these regions may be tan to lemon yellow in color. Most animals have a light-gray saddle marking just behind the dorsal fin. The undersides of the flukes are usually white. Both all-black and all-white animals have been reported.
Killer whales travel in groups of from a few to 25 or 30 individuals, though herds of 150 have been reported. Males appear polygamous, and females and young may form groups separate from young bachelors and bulls.
Killer whales are extremely fast swimmers, capable of reaching top speeds of 25 knots or more, and have been reported "porpoising" and breaching. Individuals and entire groups have also been reported "spy-hopping," or "pitchpoling," behaviors which consist of hanging vertically in the water with the head and much of the body (to just behind the flippers) exposed above the surface.
Killer whales feed on squid, fishes, sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals.
Controversy still continues over whether or not killer whales pose a threat to man. Documented attacks of killer whales on boats are rare and have usually been provoked (i.e., harpooning or attempts to capture). Only two uncertain instances of attacks in the wild have been reported, but all divers and mariners should be cautioned that this powerful animal is perfectly capable of doing tremendous damage and should not be provoked.
Because of its very distinctive dorsal fin, body shape, and coloration, the killer whale is not likely to be confused with any other whale when it can be examined at close range or when an adult male is present in the group. Pods of females and immature animals, however, may be confused with false killer whales or with grampus. The killer whales may be distinguished from false killers by the following differences:
Furthermore, false killer whales are the only "blackfish" which are known to ride the bow wave of a ship.
Grampus have a tall dorsal fin (15 inches [38.1 cm]) which is very similar in appearance to that of adult female and juvenile killer whales. But grampus have much lighter coloration, from slate gray to nearly all white, and larger animals are covered with numerous scratches. Upon closer examination they can be further distinguished from killer whales by a crease in the front of the head dividing the melon into two distinct sections. Grampus are considerably smaller, to about 13 feet (4 m) maximum length.
In the western North Atlantic killer whales have been reported from the polar pack ice south to Florida and St. Vincent, Lesser Antilles, and into the Gulf of Mexico at least as far as Texas, though they are far more common in thecooler waters from about New Jersey north. Throughout their range, killer whales seem to prefer coastal areas and often enter shallow bays, estuaries, and river mouths in search of food.
Migrations of the species are probably closely tied to movements of their food supply. They annually arrive on the coast of New England with the tuna. Along the Canadian coasts, where distribution and migrations have been described in some detail, killer whales appear to move inshore in spring and summer. Many arrive off the east coast of Newfoundland in June, the Strait of Belle Isle in June and July, and slightly later along the Labrador coast and Arctic waters. They are found around the loose ice in April, presumably feeding on harp seals,Pagophilus groenlandicus, and hooded seals,Cystophora cristata, and are frequent in the St. Lawrence estuary in spring and autumn following the movements of the white whales. The northward movements in spring also coincide with migrations of balaenopterine whales, which have also been reported among the food items. Killer whales may remain in arctic or subarctic waters until driven out by new forming ice in October and November. Though the migration has not been as thoroughly described, killer whales apparently begin shifting southwards in autumn.
Stranded killer whales should be readily identifiable by the robust body, the distinctive body markings, and in larger animals the tall dorsal fin. Killer whales have from 10 to 12 large, prominent teeth on each side of the upper and lower jaws.
Figure 88.—A small herd of killer whales off southern California (top) and details of an adult male from that herd (middle) and of females or immature males off Islas San Benito, Baja California (bottom). Adult males have a tall erect dorsal fin, which may be more than 6 feet (1.8 m) tall, while the fins of females and immature males are less than 3 feet (0.9 m) tall, distinctly falcate, and pointed on the tip. Both sexes frequently have a grayish-white region, called a "saddle," behind the dorsal fin. (Photos by T. Dohl [top and middle] and S. Leatherwood [bottom].)
Figure 89.—Killer whales are often distributed very close to shore. In these photos from Baja California, they are shown in two characteristic behaviors—breaching (top) and "spy-hopping" or "pitchpoling" (bottom). (Photos by S. Leatherwood.)
Figure 90.—A leaping killer whale in California aquarium. Note the distinctive coloration of the species, white on the lower jaw, the belly and the anus, and on both sides above the anus. Note also the distinctive white eye patch often visible on animals at sea. (Photo by D. K. Caldwell.)
Figure 91.—Killer whales have from 10 to 12 large prominent teeth, curved slightly backwards and inwards on each side of each jaw. (Photos from Point Mugu, Calif. by S. Leatherwood.)
Mongoose (St. Vincent).
False killer whales in the western North Atlantic reach a length of at least 18 feet (5.5 m). Males are slightly larger than females. Calves from 5 to 7 feet (1.5 to 2.1 m) may be seen at any time throughout the year.
The dorsal fin, located just behind the midpoint of the back, is from 7 to 16 inches (17.8 to 40.6 cm) tall, falcate, and variable to sharply pointed on the tip. The flippers are characterized by a broad hump on the front margin near the middle, a characteristic which is diagnostic for the species.
The body of the species is all black except for a blaze of gray on the belly between the flippers. This blaze varies from barely visible to light grayish white similar to but generally fainter than that of pilot whales. The body is long and slender, and the head is narrow and gently tapered from the area of the blowhole forward.
False killer whales are a social form and may occur in herds of up to at least 100 individuals. They often jump clear of the water and frequently ride the bow waves of vessels. They are the only "blackfish" which are known to do so. False killer whales feed primarily on squid and large fishes and are notorious for their habit of stealing fish from the lines of fishermen. The large prominent teeth may be visible on a swimming animal.
False killer whales may be confused with killer whales, pilot whales, or the smaller, poorly known pygmy killer whale (p.138) and many-toothed blackfish (p.142).
The characteristics distinguishing the species from the killer whale are tabularized on p.84; its differences from the pilot whales are summarized on p.92.
At sea, false killer whales are distinguishable from the other two species primarily by their larger size and differences in coloration. False killer whales are up to 18 feet (5.5 m) in length. Pygmy killer whales and many-toothed blackfish reach only 8-9 feet (2.4-2.7 m) in length. Pygmy killer whales have an extensive region of white on the belly which may extend onto the sides and both pygmy killer whales and many-toothed blackfish have a distinctive white region on the lips, usually lacking or indistinct on false killer whales.
Neither of the smaller species of blackfish has been reported to ride bow waves.
False killer whales are widely distributed in the pelagic tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate waters of the western North Atlantic. They have been reported from off Maryland south along the mainland coasts of North America, in the Gulf of Mexico from Cuba and the Lesser Antilles, and from the southeast Caribbean Sea. The species has been reported from Venezuela.
Stranded false killer whales can be positively identified by: 1) the large size (to 18 feet [5.5 m]); 2) the slender body tapering rapidly to a long slender head; 3) the markedly long mouth, with from 8 to 11 large, conspicuous teeth in each side of each jaw recalling those of the killer whale, but circular and not, as in killer whales, elliptical; 4) the unusually shaped flipper bulging conspicuously on the forward margin.
For comparison with "blackfish" of similar size (the pilot whales) see p.92and94.
False killer whales do not appear to occur frequently in coastal waters, sandy bays, or estuaries, though entire herds have stranded in such areas. Records from throughout the range suggest that the species has an oceanic distribution.
Figure 92.—False killer whales at sea 600 miles (968.0 km) off northeastern Florida. Note the smoothly falcate dorsal fin, pointed on the tip, and located near the midpoint of the back. Dorsal fins of this species may also be rounded on the tip but all are sharply concaved on the rear margin. (Photo by H. E. Winn.)
Figure 93.—False killer whales are the only "blackfish" that routinely ride the bow waves of vessels. On this animal riding on the bow wave of a research ship, note the all-black coloration of the back, head, and sides and the broad "hump" near the middle of the flippers on the leading edge. (Photo 600 miles [968 km] off northeastern Florida by H. E. Winn.)
Figure 94.—A false killer whale stranded in northeastern Florida. Note the narrow tapering head, overhanging the lower jaw by several inches, the position and shape of the dorsal fin and the distinctive "hump" on the leading margin of the flippers. (Photo by W. A. Huck, courtesy of Marineland of Florida.)
Figure 95.—Entire herds of false killer whales sometimes strand themselves. In this dorsal view of an animal stranded in southeastern Florida, note the extremely distinctive "hump" on the forward margin of the flippers and the narrow head, tapering towards the tip of the snout. (Photo by J. Krol.)
Figure 96.—False killer whales have from 8 to 11 large, conspicuous teeth in each side of each jaw. These teeth are often visible in swimming animals, particularly when they are engaged in their obnoxious habit of stealing fish from the lines of fishermen. The teeth are so distinctive that they can also be used to identify even a badly decomposed stranded specimen. (Photo, courtesy of Sea Life Park, Hawaii.)
Northern pilot whale, long-finned pilot whale, pothead, blackfish, calling whale, caa'ing whale.
Male Atlantic pilot whales reach an average length of at least 20 feet (6.2 m). Females are slightly smaller, probably not exceeding 18 feet (5.5 m). Young are 5-7 feet (1.5-2.1 m) at birth.
The head is thick and bulbous, a characteristic which reaches an extreme in the development of the head of adult males (prompting the common name "pothead"). The flippers are long (to one-fifth of the body length, or more) and sickle-shaped. The tail is dorsally thickened just in front of the flukes.
The dorsal fin of this species is one of its most distinctive characteristics. It is low in profile, has a long base, is set far forward on the animal's back, and is falcate to "flaglike" in appearance. The dorsal fin of adult males reportedly has a thicker leading edge and a rounder form than that of the female.
Atlantic pilot whales are black on the back and sides (prompting the common name "blackfish") but have an anchor-shaped patch of grayish white on the chin and a gray area on the belly, both of which are variable in extent and intensity. Some larger animals have a gray saddle behind the dorsal fin, though this zone of color is found more frequently in short-finned pilot whales. Young animals are often a lighter medium gray.
Atlantic pilot whales may occur in herds of 200 animals or more, though herds of 50 or fewer (4-6) are more common. They are sometimes found in association with Atlantic white-sided dolphins.
Pilot whales are sometimes found hanging vertically in the water with the head and part of the back out of the water in what has been called "spy-hopping" or "pitchpoling." Individuals frequently lobtail. Pilot whales infrequently breach, a behavior which is usually confined to younger animals. They do not ride bow waves.
Atlantic pilot whales feed primarily on squid but also take cod and other fishes. A Pacific pilot whale, a closely related species, was found by radio telemetric studies to be capable of diving to 2,000 feet (609.6 m).
Atlantic pilot whales were formerly the object of an active shore fishery off Newfoundland (1950-1971). In addition, entire herds and, less frequently, individuals are sometimes stranded.
Atlantic pilot whales are most likely to be confused with false killer whales, with which they share the waters from offVirginia to those off Maryland. The two species may be distinguished by the following characteristics:
In the extreme southern portion of their range, Atlantic pilot whales may be confused with short-finned pilot whales with which they have only a limited seasonal common range. Characters distinguishing these species are subtle and may not be adequate to permit them to be distinguished at sea. For purposes of this guide it is generally that pilot whales living north of lat. 38°N (Virginia coast) are Atlantic pilot whales and those living south of lat. 38°N are short-finned pilot whales.
Atlantic pilot whales, the northernmost of the two pilot whales species, are found in winter from the Grand Banks south as far as North Carolina and in summer from Iceland and Greenland south to the New Jersey coast. Winter concentrations of pilot whales may be found off the Newfoundland coast and near Cape Cod, Mass. Atlantic pilot whales are distributed both in coastal waters and in deep waters off the continental shelf.
As discussed above, individuals and groups of pilot whales frequently strand themselves for still incompletely understood reasons. They may be identified as pilot whales primarily by: 1) the robust body and bulbous head, which is often squarish in adult animals, and 2) the broad-based, falcate dorsal fin located far forward on the back. Accurate determination of the pilot whale species involved in the stranding may require museum preparation of the skull and detailed examination of its characteristics. Preliminary identification may be made, however, based on the following:
Figure 97.—A herd of Atlantic pilot whales off Massachusetts. The most distinguishing field characteristic of this species, and of their southern cousins, the short-finned pilot whales, is the highly distinctive dorsal fin, extremely long based, low in profile, and set well forward on the animals' backs. (Photo by W. A. Watkins.)