| Bowhead Whale | Right Whale |
|---|
| DISTRIBUTION |
| Arctic distribution south toDavis Straits only duringwinter. | Texas, southwest Floridanorth to Iceland, reachingnorthern limits only duringspring and summer. |
| COLORATION |
| Black with white "vest" onfront part of lower jaw,sometimes containing astring of black spots; upperjaw lacks the "rock garden." | Sometimes black oftenbrown or mottled with regionsof white on chin andbelly; patches of yellowish topink callosities and liceencrusting the snout in whathas been called a "rockgarden." |
| BALEEN PLATES |
| 325-360 per side; plates to 14inches (35.6 cm) at base andlongest plates up to 14 feet(4.3 m) long. Dark gray orblack with gray fringes;anterior margin of someplates whitish, showinggreen iridescence in sunlight. | 250-390 per side 12inches (30.5 cm) at base andup to 7.2 feet (2.2 m) long.Dirty gray with black fringes;some anterior platespartly or completely white. |
| BONNET AND OTHER CALLOSITIES |
| Not present. | Present. |
