Dwarf whale. Pygmy right whale (Caperea marginata)Eng

intermediate ranks

International scientific name

caperea marginata (Gray , )

Synonyms

• Balaena (Caperea) antipodarum
• Balaena (Caperea) neobalaena
• Balaena marginata Grey, 1846
• neobalaena marginata

area conservation status

Systematics on Wikispecies

Images at Wikimedia Commons

ITIS NCBI EOL

Pygmy right whale, or pygmy whale, or short-headed right whale(lat. Caperea marginata), is a marine mammal of the suborder of baleen whales. The only species of the family of dwarf whales. Previously, it was attributed to smooth whales, however, finds of related fossil forms (primarily Myocaperea pulchra from the late Miocene of Peru) suggest that features common to right whales were formed in the pygmy whale as a result of parallel evolution. Phylogenetic analysis carried out in 2013 by Fordyce and Marks (Fordyce R.E., Marx F.G., 2013) suggested a close relationship of the pygmy whale with extinct cetotheri, up to inclusion in the family Cetotheriidae. In this regard, in some publications, the pygmy whale began to be called a "living fossil".

Appearance

The smallest and rarest of the baleen whales. The length of his body is 4-6.4 m, with 1/4 of the length falling on the head; weight - 3-3.5 tons. The body shape is streamlined. The coloration of the upper side of the body is dark gray or black with gray spots of various shapes and sizes; underside - light gray, may darken with age. Sometimes there is a white stripe on the belly. There are no growths on the head. The dorsal fin is small (25 cm high), crescent-shaped with a concave trailing edge; located at the beginning of the last third of the body. Pectoral fins 10 times shorter than the body, narrow, slightly rounded, four-fingered. Their dark coloration stands out against the background of a paler belly. The caudal fin is wide, with a notch in the middle and pointed ends; dark above, light below with dark edges. The line of the mouth is curved due to the bending of the upper jaw. The breath is slightly depressed.

The pygmy whale is characterized by a pure white coloration of the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and tongue. The baleen plates are yellowish-white, often with dark edges, and very elastic. They are 70 cm high and 12 cm wide; 230 plates in each half of the jaw. The cervical vertebrae are fused, the head is motionless. The ribs of the pygmy whale (17 pairs) are remarkable - they are very wide and flattened, especially the hind pairs. According to zoologists, such ribs protect the whale's internal organs during deep and prolonged immersion.

Lifestyle

Encounters with dwarf whales are extremely rare; his way of life is practically not studied. At sea, it is hardly noticeable; fountains gives small and indistinct; jumping out and raising the caudal fin above the water in the pygmy whale was not observed. On the surface, as a rule, appears for no more than a few seconds; at the same time, it can be distinguished from a similar minke whale by a white spot on the lower jaw or by white gums. According to observations, his dives last from 40 seconds to 4 minutes. The dwarf whale swims slowly, in an unusual undulating manner, bending its entire body. They keep singly, in pairs or in groups of up to 8-10 individuals; it has also been observed in "company" with pilot whales, sei whales and minke whales.

Found only in temperate and cold waters of the Southern Hemisphere, most often near the coasts of South Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. Possibly circumpolar, between 30° and 50° S. sh., where the water temperature at the surface is from 5 to 20 °C. Dried whales have been found off the coast of South Africa and Tierra del Fuego. Most of the sightings were made in protected shallow bays, but some individuals were also found in the open sea. It is possible that young pygmy whales migrate to coastal waters in spring and summer. One group of whales lives all year round in the waters of Tasmania. Far migrations are not installed.

The pygmy whale, like other toothless whales, feeds on planktonic crustaceans and other invertebrates. The social structure, breeding biology, and total numbers are unknown.

The pygmy whale is considered an archaic species related to gray whales and minke whales.

Notes

1. Tomilin A.G. Order Cetaceans (Cetacea) // Animal Life. Volume 7. Mammals / ed. V. E. Sokolova. - 2nd ed. - M.: Education, 1989. - S. 358-359. - 558 p. - ISBN 5-09-001434-5.
2. Complete illustrated encyclopedia. "Mammals" Book. 2 = The New Encyclopedia of Mammals / ed. D. Macdonald. - M. : Omega, 2007. - S. 469. - 3000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-465-01346-8.

Appearance

The smallest and rarest of the baleen whales. The length of his body is 4-6.4 m, with 1/4 of the length falling on the head; weight - 3-3.5 tons. The body shape is streamlined. The coloration of the upper side of the body is dark gray or black with gray spots of various shapes and sizes; underside - light gray, may darken with age. Sometimes there is a white stripe on the belly. There are no growths on the head. The dorsal fin is small (25 cm high), crescent-shaped with a concave trailing edge; located at the beginning of the last third of the body. Pectoral fins 10 times shorter than the body, narrow, slightly rounded, four-fingered. Their dark coloration stands out against the background of a paler belly. The caudal fin is wide, with a notch in the middle and pointed ends; dark above, light below with dark edges. The line of the mouth is curved due to the bending of the upper jaw. The breath is slightly depressed.

The pygmy whale is characterized by a pure white coloration of the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and tongue. The baleen plates are yellowish-white, often with dark edges, and very elastic. They are 70 cm high and 12 cm wide; 230 plates in each half of the jaw. The cervical vertebrae are fused, the head is motionless. The ribs of the pygmy whale (17 pairs) are remarkable - they are very wide and flattened, especially the hind pairs. According to zoologists, such ribs protect the whale's internal organs during deep and prolonged immersion.

Lifestyle

Encounters with dwarf whales are extremely rare; his way of life is practically not studied. At sea, it is hardly noticeable; fountains gives small and indistinct; jumping out and raising the caudal fin above the water in the pygmy whale was not observed. On the surface, as a rule, appears for no more than a few seconds; at the same time, it can be distinguished from a similar minke whale by a white spot on the lower jaw or by white gums. According to observations, his dives last from 40 seconds to 4 minutes. The dwarf whale swims slowly, in an unusual undulating manner, bending its entire body. They keep singly, in pairs or in groups of up to 8-10 individuals; it has also been observed in "company" with pilot whales, sei whales and minke whales.

Found only in temperate and cold waters of the Southern Hemisphere, most often near the coasts of South Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. Possibly circumpolar, between 30° and 50° S. sh., where the water temperature at the surface is from 5 to 20 °C. Dried whales have been found off the coast of South Africa and Tierra del Fuego. Most of the sightings were made in protected shallow bays, but some individuals were also found in the open sea. It is possible that young pygmy whales migrate to coastal waters in spring and summer. One group of whales lives year-round in the waters of Tasmania. Far migrations are not installed.

The pygmy whale, like other toothless whales, feeds on planktonic crustaceans and other invertebrates. The social structure, breeding biology, and total numbers are unknown.

The pygmy whale is considered an archaic species related to gray whales and minke whales.

Notes

Links and sources

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• Animals described in 1846
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See what the "Pygmy Whale" is in other dictionaries:

pygmy whale- marine mammal of the family of smooth whales. Length up to 6.4 m. Lives in temperate and cold waters of the Southern Hemisphere. Is under the threat of extinction. The fishery has never been... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

pygmy whale- (Caperea marginata), a mammal of the family. smooth whales. Length up to 6.4 m. The color of the back is black, the belly is from black to light gray. The mouth and tongue are white. Whalebone plates are yellowish white, high. up to 70 cm, approx. 230 pairs Dorsal fin up to 30 cm ... ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary

pygmy whale- marine mammals of the family of smooth whales. Length up to 6.4 m. Lives in temperate and cold waters of the Southern Hemisphere. Is under the threat of extinction. The fishery never took place. * * * Dwarf Whale Dwarf Whale (Caperea marginata), marine… … encyclopedic Dictionary

pygmy whale- nykštukinis tikrasis banginis statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Caperea marginata English. dwarf right whale; pygmy right whale rus. pygmy right whale; pygmy whale; short-headed right whale pranc … Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas

pygmy whale- (Caperea marginata) a mammal of the family of smooth whales. Length up to 6.4 m. The color of the body is black, sometimes with a white stripe on the belly. Extremely rare, found only in temperate and cold waters of the Southern Hemisphere, more often near Australia and New ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

pygmy whale- sea. mammal of the family smooth whales. Length up to 6.4 m. It lives in temperate and cold waters of the South. hemisphere. Is under the threat of extinction. The fishery has never been... Natural science. encyclopedic Dictionary

Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov

habitation - pygmy right whale lives near the coast and open water.
Status - unknown.
The number of groups - 1-2 (1-8).
The location of the dorsal fin is far from the central part of the back.
The weight of the newborn is unknown.
The weight of an adult is 3-3.5 tons.
The length of the newborn is 1.6-2.2 m.
The length of an adult is 5.5-6.5 m.

Food. Crustaceans and other invertebrates.

General information. The lifestyle of the pygmy right whale is very poorly understood. Like all right whales, the neck vertebrae are fused. The ribs (17 pairs) are notable: they are very wide and flattened (especially the posterior ones).

Behavior. Inconspicuous at sea, with a small indistinct fountain. It is typical for him to appear on the surface for no more than a few seconds from time to time. Jumping and lifting of the tail was not observed. Externally, a smooth whale looks like a minke whale "coming out" of the water with its snout, but unlike the minke whale, its dorsal fin and back usually remain hidden from view. A flashing white spot (mandible or gum with whalebone) can be seen, and the muzzle strikes the surface. The tail fins never fully rise above the water. Generally swims slowly in an unusual, undulating style, undulating along the entire line of the body, but may increase in speed. Limited evidence says that the duration of the dive is between 40 seconds and 4 minutes. It can be seen in company with pilot whales, sei whales, and possibly minke whales.

Habitats. The pygmy smooth whale lives mainly in the waters washing the south of Australia and New Zealand, it is possible that it is distributed circumpolarly, and, apparently, does not migrate far. In the South Atlantic from Buenos Aires to Cape Horn, the Falkland Islands and South Africa. Juveniles may migrate to coastal waters in spring and summer. Sometimes some groups live in one place year-round, for example in Tasmania. Most sightings were in protected areas, small bays, but some individuals were found in the open sea.

outlines. A small furrow runs close to the blowhole to the top of the muzzle. The blowhole of a smooth whale is slightly depressed. The head is one fourth of the body length. Light lower jaw, dark upper. The curve of the jaw may increase with age. Rounded projection at the base of the throat. The mouth, tongue and filtering apparatus are white. Dark gray or blue-gray upperparts, sometimes with a white stripe on the belly. The pectoral fins are 10 times shorter than the body, narrow, four-fingered, slightly rounded at the ends. The dark upper side of the fins stands out against the background of a paler body. Light gray or white underside that may darken with age. Streamlined body shape. A small crescent-shaped dorsal fin with a concave trailing edge up to 25 cm high. The wide caudal fin is dark from above, light from below, with dark edges and pointed ends. Distinct notch in the middle.

Strongly curved mouth line
- pronounced dorsal fin
- white whalebone
- dark upper surface of the tail
- absence of growths on the head
- small size
- restrained behavior
- slow swimmer

Whalebone. Whalebone plates, 230-260 in each row, very elastic, yellowish-white, often with a dark outer edge, the largest - 70 cm high and 12 cm wide. Mustache fringe thin, hairy.

Literature: "The life of animals", v. 7 / Mammals / - Under the editorship of V. E. Sokolov. - 2nd ed., Rev. - M .: Education, 1989 - 558 p.; Sokolov V.E. Rare and endangered animals. Mammals: Handbook.-M.: Vyssh.shk., 1986.-519 pp.
Website Whales and Dolphins (http://gekla.chat.ru/)

In the Pacific Ocean, you can meet a lot of interesting animals that simply shock with their appearance. So, for example, we are used to considering a whale as a kind of huge giant, weighing several tons. However, nature cannot be denied ingenuity. Along with such a huge marine animal, she managed to create a dwarf analogue of it. It's just that it's extremely hard to find him. The thing is that the pygmy whale belongs to the most ancient creatures of our planet, and is currently on the verge of extinction.

And yet, the pygmy whale exists. This marine animal rarely grows more than six meters in length. Its body is painted black, with a wide white stripe on its belly. However, young individuals may also have a light gray color, with a number of dark spots of irregular shape. The whale weighs about three tons. The shape of the upper fin is sickle-shaped. It is the same as the rest of the whales. The pectoral fins are somewhat narrowed and rounded at the top. The tail is divided into two halves, upper and lower. The mucous membrane of his mouth is white.

The habitat of the pygmy whale includes the oceanic waters of the Southern Hemisphere. You can meet him off the coast of Australia and in the area of ​​​​Cape Horn. It rarely approaches the African continent.

It is a toothless animal that feeds exclusively on plankton. The whale breathes with lungs, and can be under water for no more than four minutes. To replenish the supply of air, it must often float to the surface.

The pygmy whale is incredibly slow. He swims, slowly, as a rule, along a curvilinear trajectory. Its natural enemy is the killer whale. However, she decides to attack such a graceful animal only with an acute shortage of food.

You can spot a pygmy whale by the small fountain of water that it throws out when it floats to the surface. However, he does not make any jumps. The tail does not rise above the water either. Its dorsal fin appears on the surface for only a few seconds and immediately disappears under water. The pygmy whale can be found in community with sei whales, minke whales and pilot whales.

We do not have exact data on the age at which a whale becomes sexually mature. Scientists suggest that this depends not only on age, but also on the size of the animal. It is believed that only individuals reaching five meters in length are capable of reproducing offspring. Born offspring always keeps near the parents.

Nature gave the dwarf whale about fifty years of life. However, this species is on the verge of extinction, and therefore is listed in the Red Book. There are a lot of documents regulating the conservation of the pygmy whale. Their main task is to protect these animals from poachers, who mercilessly exterminate them.

Kingdom: Animals Phylum: Chordates Class: Mammals Order: Cetaceans Suborder: Baleen whales Family: Dwarf whales Genus: Dwarf whales Species: Dwarf whale

Scientific name: caperea marginata
Common name:
English– Pygmy Right Whale
French– Baleine Pygmee
Spanish– Ballena Franca Pigmea
Species Authority: Grey, 1846

There is one species in the genus dwarf whales: the pygmy whale C. marginata, which is included in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade.

The pygmy whale is endangered. The sizes are small - the smallest in the family. The body is not as thickened in the anterior part as in other members of the family. The body length is 6.1-6.4 m. The head occupies about U4 of the body length. The dorsal fin is small, notched along the posterior margin, located in the posterior third of the body.

The lower jaw does not have an upward arcuate or trapezoidal outgrowth, which is characteristic of the bowhead and southern right whales. The pectoral fins are relatively short. The body color is black with unevenly located gray spots of various shapes. Sometimes there is a gray stripe on the belly. The tongue and oral mucosa are white. Whalebone white (light yellow) color. Each half of the upper jaw contains 200-230 plates.

common in the southern hemisphere. In the South Atlantic from Buenos Aires to Cape Horn, the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands and South Africa, in the South Pacific off the coast of New Zealand and the Indian Ocean coast of South and South-Western Australia. The number is small. She has always been low. The fishery has never taken place.

IUCN assessment information

1996 - Lower Risk/least concern (LR/lc) 1994 - Insufficiently Known (K) Unexplored, little known
Distribution area Photo credit: Lycaon.cl - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13742894
Literature (source): Sokolov V.E. Rare and endangered animals. Mammals: Help, allowance. - M.: Higher. school., 1986.-519 p. l.