by: Dagmar Fertl
The fin whale is also sometimes called the finback or razorback whale. The word physaluscomes from the Greek word physalos for "rorqual whale" or "kind of toad that puffs itself up".
The fin whale is the second largest whale (behind the blue whale). It is a large, streamlined whale, with a head that is v-shaped in profile, that appears slightly tapered downward from the blowhole to the tip of the head. The dorsal fin is taller and more falcate (curved), and set farther forward on the tail stock than the blue whale's. The most distinctive feature of a fin whale is its coloration. The body is dark gray on the back with a lighter belly. The head color is asymmetrical in that the left lower jaw is dark, while the lower right jaw is mostly white. There are also some light gray v-shaped "chevrons" on the back behind the head.
At birth, fins whales range between 6-6.5 m while as adults, they can reach maximum lengths in the Southern Hemisphere, of 27 m. These animals can weigh as much as 75 tons.
Fin whales can be found on the majority of the African coastline. They can be seen near shore, where deep water approaches the coast.
Fin whales lunge feed on small invertebrates, schooling fishes, and squid (it has been suggested that the asymmetrical jaw coloration might assist with foraging). This species is slightly more social than other rorquals (balaenopterids), being seen in groups of 2-7 at times. They are reportedly one of the fastest of the big whales reaching' speeds of 32 km/hr.
When blue whale stocks became depleted, whalers switched to taking fin whales. With the International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling, no commercial catches of fin whales should be made by IWC Parties.
Vulnerable.
Gambell, R. 1985. Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus, 1758). Handbook of Marine Mammals, vol.3 The sirenians and baleen whales (S.H. Ridgway and R. Harrison, eds). Academic Press, London. Pp.171-192.
Jefferson, T.A. Leatherwood, S. and M.A. Webber. 1994. FAO Species Identification Guide, Marine Mammals of the World. FAO of the United Nations, Rome.
Leatherwood, S. and R.R. Reeves. 1987. The Sierra Club Handbook of Whales and Dolphins. Sierra Club Books, San Fransisco.
Office of Protected Resources Home Page
Marine Mammal Stranding Center
URL for this page: http://csiwhalesalive.org/csifin.html