Gray whale making a deep dive. Photograph by T. J. Walker.

Gray whale spouting. Courtesy Scripps Institute of Oceanography.

Appendix

Scientific names of all North American cetaceans with common names most in use. Maximum size indicated.

Region: (A) Atlantic Ocean, (P) Pacific Ocean, (C) Circumpolar

Common Name Size-Region
Order Cetacea Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises
Suborder Odontoceti Toothed Whales
Family Ziphiidae Beaked Whales
Genus Berardius
Berardius bairdii Baird’s Beaked Whale 42 ft. (P)
Genus Mesoplodon
Mesoplodon bidens Sowerby’s Beaked Whale 16 ft. (A)
Mesoplodon densirostris Blainville’s Beaked Whale 15 ft. (A)
Mesoplodon europaeus Gervais’ Beaked Whale 16 ft. (A)
Mesoplodon mirus True’s Beaked Whale 17 ft. (A)
Mesoplodon stejnegeri Stejneger’s Beaked Whale 20 ft. (P)
Genus Ziphius
Ziphius Cavirostris Cuvier’s Beaked Whale 28 ft. (A-P)
Genus Hyperoodon
Hyperoodon ampullatus Flat-headed Bottlenosed Whale 30 ft. (A)
Family Physeteridae Sperm Whales
Genus Physeter
Physeter catodon Sperm Whale 60 ft. (A-P)
Family Kogiidae Pigmy Sperm Whales
Genus Kogia
Kogia breviceps Pigmy Sperm Whale 13 ft. (A-P)
Family Vonodontidae White Whale and Narwhal
Genus Delphinapterus
Delphinapterus leucas White Whale (Beluga) 18 ft. (C)
Genus Monodon
Monodon monoceros Narwhal 12 ft. (C)
Family Delphinidae Dolphins and Porpoises
Genus Stenella
Stenella attenuata Slender-beaked Porpoise 6 ft. (P)
Stenella frontalis Cuvier’s Porpoise 6 ft. (A)
Stenella graffmani Graffman’s Porpoise 8 ft. (P)
Stenella longirostris Long-beaked Porpoise 7 ft. (P)
Stenella microps Small-headed Porpoise 8 ft. (P)
Stenella plagiodon Spotted Porpoise 7 ft. (A)
Stenella styx Gray’s Porpoise 8 ft. (A-P)
Genus Steno
Steno bredanensis Rough-toothed Porpoise 8 ft. (A-P)
Genus Delphinus
Delphinus delphis Atlantic Dolphin 8 ft. (A)
Delphinus bairdii Pacific Dolphin 7 ft. (P)
Genus Tursiops
Tursiops truncatus Atlantic Bottle-nosed Dolphin 12 ft. (A)
Tursiops gillii Gill’s Bottle-nosed Dolphin 12 ft. (P)
Tursiops nuuanu Pacific Bottle-nosed Dolphin 7 ft. (P)
Genus Lissodelphis
Lissodelphis borealis Right-whale Dolphin 8 ft. (P)
Genus Lagenorhynchus
Lagenorhynchus albirostris White-Beaked Dolphin 10 ft. (A)
Lagenorhynchus acutus Atlantic White-sided Dolphin 9 ft. (A)
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens Pacific White-sided Dolphin 7 ft. (P)
Lagenorhynchus thicolea Gray’s White-sided Dolphin 9 ft. (P)
Genus Grampus
Grampus orca Atlantic Killer Whale 30 ft. (A)
Grampus rectipinna Pacific Killer Whale 30 ft. (P)
Genus Grampidelphis
Grampidelphis Griseus Grampus or Risso’s Dolphin 13 ft. (A-P)
Genus Pseudorca
Pseudorca crassidens False Killer Whale 18 ft. (A-P)
Genus Globicephala
Globicephala melaena Common Blackfish or (Pilot Whale) 28 ft. (A)
Globicephala macrorhyncha Short-finned Blackfish 20 ft. (A)
Globicephala scammonii Pacific Blackfish 16 ft. (P)
Genus Feresa
Feresa occulta Slender Blackfish 8 ft. (P)
Genus Phocoena
Phocoena phocoena Atlantic Harbor Porpoise 6 ft. (A)
Phocoena vomerina Pacific Harbor Porpoise 6 ft. (A)
Genus Phocoenoides
Phocoenoides dalli Dall’s Porpoise 7 ft. (P)
Suborder Mysticeti Baleen Whales
Family Eschrichtidae Gray Whale
Genus Eschrichtius
Eschrichtius glaucus California Gray Whale 50 ft. (P)
Family Balaenopteridae Fin-backed Whales
Genus Balaenoptera
Balaenoptera physalus Fin-backed Whale 81 ft. (A-P)
Balaenoptera borealis Rorqual (Sei Whale) 60 ft. (A-P)
Balaenoptera acutorostrata Little Piked Whale 33 ft. (A-P)
Genus Sibbaldus
Sibbaldus musculus Blue (Sulphur-bottom) Whale 100 ft. (A-P)
Genus Megaptera
Megaptera novaeangliae Hump-backed Whale 50 ft. (A-P)
Family Balaenidae Right and Bowhead Whales
Genus Eubalaena
Eubalaena glacialis Atlantic Right Whale 70 ft. (A)
Eubalaena sieboldii Pacific Right Whale 65 ft. (P)
Genus Balaena
Balaena mysticetus Bowhead Whale 65 ft. (C)

Transcriber’s Notes