Because Victor B. Scheffer and John W. Slipp have in preparation a detailed account of Cetaceans properly ascribable to Washington, members of this order here are not treated in as much detail as are other native mammals.
Berardius bairdiiStejneger
Baird beaked whale
Description.—Length about 40 feet; mandibles elongate, "beak-like"; one or two large teeth at tip of lower jaw; dorsal fin small and situated posteriorly; color black but abdomen occasionally grayish.
Remarks.—This rare whale is known from a few specimens recorded from Alaska south to California.
Mesoplodon stejnegeriTrue
Stejneger beaked whale
Description.—Similar to the previous species in proportions but smaller; length about 17 feet. Differs in possessing one large flat tusk in lower jaw.
Remarks.—Known only from a specimen from Alaska and another from the coast of Oregon.
Delphinus bairdiiDall
Dolphin
Description.—A slender porpoise about 6 or 7 feet long; long, narrow beak with 80-120 conical teeth; color above black tinged with greenish; sides gray; belly and throat white.
Remarks.—Recorded from California and probably ranges into Washington in off-shore waters.
Lissodelphis borealis(Peale)
Right whale porpoise
Description.—A small, beaked porpoise lacking a dorsal fin; color black with narrow white area from breast to tail; length about 4 feet.
Remarks.—A rare species described from waters 500 miles off the mouth of the Columbia River.
Lagenorhynchus obliquidensGill
Striped porpoise
Description.—Length about 7 feet; beak not prominent; 44-46 conical teeth in each jaw; anterior edge of dorsal fin curved; color of upper parts greenish black; sides with one white or gray stripe posteriorly; underparts white.
Remarks.—This is the common porpoise in the Straits of Juan De Fuca from about the vicinity of Port Townsend to the ocean and in immediate off-shore waters. One specimen was obtained 100 miles off Grays Harbor. Rarely seen in Puget Sound.
Grampus rectipinna(Cope)
Killer whale
Description.—A large porpoise, 20-30 feet in length; dorsal fin high and nearly straight; teeth large, conical, 12 above, 13 below; color black above with white patch on side anteriorly.
Remarks.—The killer is common in Puget Sound and off the ocean coast. Both the killer and the true blackfish are locally termed "blackfish."
Grampidelphis griseus(Cuvier)
Grampus
Description.—A round-headed porpoise about 10 feet in length; dorsal fin high and narrow; 4 to 6 teeth in each jaw; color black, occasionally with white head or with body mottled with white and gray.
Remarks.—An off-shore species, probably not uncommon off the coast of Washington at times.
Globicephalus scammonii(Cope)
Blackfish
Description.—A large, stout-bodied, round-headed porpoise about 20 feet in length. Teeth large; 8-10 in lower jaw; 10-12 in upper jaw. Color black. Differs from the killer whale in possessing a low, long dorsal fin rather than a high, erect one.
Remarks.—The blackfish is a colonial species, often common in Puget Sound. It is frequently confused with the killer whale.
Phocoena vomerina(Gill)
Harbor porpoise
Description.—A small, stout-bodied porpoise with a rounded head. Length 5 to 6 feet. Teeth small, slightly flattened; about 25 above, 24 below; color blackish or brownish to liver color.
Remarks.—Small schools of harbor porpoises are common in Puget Sound, among the San Juan Islands, and in the Straits of Juan De Fuca. This is the commonest inshore porpoise but, because of its smaller size, is less well known to most persons than are the blackfish and killer whale.
Phocoenoides dalli(True)
Dall porpoise
Description.—A small porpoise, about 6 feet in length, with pointed head and moderately stout body. Teeth small, 23 above and 27 below. Color greenish black with flanks or posterior sides white.
Remarks.—A rare off-shore species.
Physeter catodonLinnaeus
Sperm whale
Description.—A toothed whale about 60 feet long; head enormous, squarish; teeth conical, 50 or fewer in lower jaw.
Remarks.—Occurs off the coast of Washington and rarely enters the Straits of Juan De Fuca.
Kogia breviceps(Blainville)
Pigmy sperm whale
Description.—Similar to the sperm whale in proportions but less than 10 feet in length.
Remarks.—A rare species whose habits are little known. The available information concerning this species in the Atlantic has been summarized by Allen (1941).
Rhachianectes glaucus(Cope)
Gray whale
Description.—A relatively slender whale, about 40 feet in length; dorsal fin absent; baleen short, yellow in color; color of body mottled gray or blackish.
Remarks.—The gray whale was once abundant and occurred off the coast of Washington in spring and summer migrations. Hunted until now rare.
Balaenoptera physalus(Linnaeus)
Finback whale
Description.—A relatively slender whale, up to 82 feet in length; dorsal fin far posterior, prominent; baleen in two slabs, well developed, about two feet in length and gray in color; color of body blackish or brownish above, white below.
Remarks.—Recorded off-shore.
Balaenoptera borealisLesson
Sei or Pollack whale
Description.—Similar to the finback whale but dorsal fin larger; baleen dark; body dark blue or brownish; belly with restricted white area.
Remarks.—Recorded off-shore.
Balaenoptera acutorostrataLacÉpÈde
Pike whale
Description.—A small whalebone whale, about 30 feet in length; body slender; head pointed; pectoral fin well developed and prominent; baleen short, white; color black above, white beneath.
Remarks.—A rare species that has been recorded from Washington.
Sibbaldus musculus(Linnaeus)
Blue whale or sulphur-bottom whale
Description.—Largest of the whales; length up to 100 feet; body slender; head flat above, rounded beneath; dorsal fin slender but prominent; baleen in two series, heavy and black; belly with numerous longitudinal ridges; color bluish black above, yellow beneath.
Remarks.—Probably uncommon off-shore.
Megaptera novaeangliae(Borowski)
Humpback whale
Description.—A medium-sized, stout-bodied whale up to 54 feet in length; dorsal fin low, not prominent; head flat above, rounded beneath; prominent "hump" at back of head; belly with numerous longitudinal ridges; baleen small; color blackish or grayish above, paler below; body characteristically blotched with patches of whitish barnacles.
Remarks.—The humpback is the commonest whale off the coast of Washington, often coming into northern Puget Sound.
Eubalaena sieboldii(Gray)
Pacific right whale
Description.—A large whale, 60-70 feet in length, with enormous, rounded head; dorsal fin absent; belly lacking longitudinal ridges; baleen blackish, 8 feet in length; color uniformly blackish.
Remarks.—A much hunted species now probably rare off shore.
