FIN WHALE (B)
Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus 1758)
Other Common Names
Finback whale, finner, razorback, common rorqual.
Description
Fin whales have been reported to reach 79 feet (24 m). Females are slightly larger than males of the same age.
The back is distinctly ridged towards the tail, prompting the common name "razorback" whale.
The rostrum is narrower and more V-shaped than that of the blue whale and has the same sort of single distinctive head ridge. The top of the head is flat, though slightly less than that of the blue whale.
The dorsal fin is up to 24 inches (61 cm) tall; angled less than 40° on the forward margin, located slightly more than one-third forward from the tail, and appears on the surface shortly after the blow.