Measurements of the bodies and flukes of several cetacean species

Abstract

Specimens of nine species of cetacean were obtained through an entrapment and stranding network. These were: harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena); white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus); white-beaked dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris); common dolphin (Delphinus delphis); white whale (Delphinapterus leucas); Sowerby9s beaked whale (Mesoplodon bidens); minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata); fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus); and sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). Measurements of length, body girths, fluke-planform offsets and fluke-section offsets are presented for these species. Values of body volume, mass, wetted-surface area, prismatic and volumetric coefficients, fluke area, aspect ratio and sweep angles were estimated from these measurements. Parameters derived from these measurements lay within narrow ranges of values for all species. Variation over these ranges may indicate a correlation between species and their relative swimming performance.