Marine Mammals Information Database :Illustrated Guide of Marine Mammals

Gray whale

Scientific Name : Eschrichtius robustus / Japanese Name : koku-kujira

Gray whale

Details

Order Cetartiodactyla
Suborder Mysticeti
Family Eschrichtidae
Genus Eschrichtius
Species robustus
Subspecies -
Subtype -
CITES Appendix I IUCN RedData Status Least Concern
Baleen plates or tooth-Upper jaw 140-180 Baleen plates or tooth-Lower jaw -
At birth At weaning Adult Adult male Adult female
Body length 15-16.5ft 28.0ft 39.5-46.0ft - -
Body weight 500kg - 16-33t - -
Feature and Habit
The head is slender, tapered and with no ridge. They have sinus hairs lining along the both mouth lines and around the blowholes. The body is extensively covered with barnacles, especially around the head. They have no dorsal fin but a series of 7 to 12 small “knuckles” along the dorsal ridge. The body color is almost gray. They have 140-180 short (no more than 0.4m) and white or yellowish baleen plates per side. They have 2 to 5 grooves at the throat. They make extensive north to south migration.
Description
Reference:
Stranding Record(s) in Japan
Map

Marine Mammals Skull Database

A click on the skull thumb nail will bring you to detailed images.


Sex - Reproductive Condition -
Body length - Locality -
Museum No. - Other No. -

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