EXTERNAL CHARACTERS OF BLUE WHALES 



VARIATION OF MEASUREMENTS 

 Blue Whales: South Georgia 



Males, 23-25 m.; females 25-27 m. 



297 



18. Flipper, length 



along curve of 



lower border 



Range of 



values 



(% of total 



length) 



12-0-12-5 

 12-5-13-0 

 13-0-13-5 

 13-5-14-0 

 14-0-14-5 

 I4-5-I5-0 



15-0-15-5 

 15-5-16-0 



Number 



of 

 readings 



7 

 10 



15 



15 



9 



I 



I 



4 



9 



10 



10 



15 

 10 



5 



19. Flipper, 

 greatest width 



Range of 



values 



(% of total 



length) 



3-1-3-2 

 3-2-3-3 

 3-3-3-4 

 3-4-3-5 

 3-5-3-6 

 3-6-3-7 

 3-7-3-8 

 3-8-3-9 

 3-9-4-0 

 4-0-4-1 

 4-1-4-2 



Number 



of 

 readings 



3 



2 



I 



6 



6 



1 1 



10 



10 



9 

 6 



5 



9 



12 



10 



20. Severed head, 

 condyle to tip 



Range of 



values 



(% of total 



length) 



22-5- 

 23-0- 



23-5* 

 24-0 



24-5- 

 25-0- 



25-5- 

 26-0 

 26-5 

 27-0 



27-5- 

 28-0 



-23-0 



-23-5 

 24-0 



-24-5 

 -25-0 



-25-5 

 -26-0 

 -26-5 

 -27-0 



-27-5 

 -28-0 

 -28-5 



Number 



of 

 readings 



? 



3 

 8 



9 

 17 

 10 

 10 



4 



I 



4 

 5 

 7 

 15 

 6 



20 

 10 



3 

 I 

 I 



21. Skull, greatest 

 width 



Range of 



values 



(% of total 



length) 



9-0- 9-5 

 9-5-10-0 

 10-0-10-5 

 I0-5-II-O 

 11-0-11-5 

 11-5-12-0 

 12-0-12-5 

 12-5-13-0 

 13-0-13-5 

 13-5-14-0 



Number 



of 

 readings 



I 

 5 



15 

 18 



15 



7 



18 



19 

 16 



24. Tail, depth at 

 dorsal fin 



Number 



of 

 readings 



3 



10 

 16 



17 

 6 



9 

 2 



7 

 II 



14 



13 

 3 



