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Bryde's Whale
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Bryde's Whale Description |
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Bryde’s
whale is the second smallest of the balaenopterid whales.
It has a typically elongated shape, and is somewhat
less powerfully built than the sei and minke whale,
with a body shape generally more like a fin whale. The
head is very broad and short with a relatively short,
pointed rostrum which is slightly dorso-ventrally flattened.
There are two lateral ridges which run from just behind
the tip of the snout back as far as the blowholes. They
are located between the median line and the outer margin,
one each side of the usual balaenopterid median ridge.
There are sometimes a few hairs on the ridges and near
the tip of the lower jaw. The eyes are relatively large,
compared with those of other balaenopterids. The flippers
are small, slender and slightly pointed. The dorsal
fin is prominent, pointed and falcate, and up to 46
cm high. It may have a notched or frayed trailing edge.
The tail flukes are broad, with a distinct median notch
and slightly concave trailing edges. There are about
45 long ventral grooves, which end beyond the umbilicus.
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