Species: Physeter macrocephalus
Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
The largest of the toothed whales, this species has a disproportionately large head, especially in males, that dominates the body. Skin posterior to the head appears corrugated or shriveled. Color is gray with a lighter area on belly and forehead; skin is white around the mouth. These whales have a distinct dorsal hump, usually rounded or obtuse, about two-thirds of the way behind their snout. Immediately behind the hump, a series of knuckles are visible when whale arches its back before diving (Alaska Geographic Society 1996). Blowhole is set forward on the head and skewed strongly to the left. Males are roughly one-third longer than females (males 18.3 m, females 11 m) and twice as a heavy. There are 20-26 pairs of large, conical teeth along the lower jaw that fit into sockets in the upper jaw (Reeves et al. 2002).
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The reasons for the surprise visits are unknown, but changes in environmental conditions here or elsewhere are one possibility.
Classification
Mammalia
Cetacea
Physeteridae
Physeter
NatureServe
Classification
Ecology and Life History
The largest of the toothed whales, this species has a disproportionately large head, especially in males, that dominates the body. Skin posterior to the head appears corrugated or shriveled. Color is gray with a lighter area on belly and forehead; skin is white around the mouth. These whales have a distinct dorsal hump, usually rounded or obtuse, about two-thirds of the way behind their snout. Immediately behind the hump, a series of knuckles are visible when whale arches its back before diving (Alaska Geographic Society 1996). Blowhole is set forward on the head and skewed strongly to the left. Males are roughly one-third longer than females (males 18.3 m, females 11 m) and twice as a heavy. There are 20-26 pairs of large, conical teeth along the lower jaw that fit into sockets in the upper jaw (Reeves et al. 2002).