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Whale Species
It's not just Southern Right whales that grace our waters in South Australia ... 29 other whale species have been recorded, from small Common dolphins (2m) to the largest animal ever to have lived, the Blue whale (30m). There are over 80 species of whales in the world, and all whales belong to the order Cetacea (Suh-TAY-sha).
Whales evolved from a common ancestor 55 million years ago – an ancient wolf-like animal that foraged at the water's edge. Eventually, this creature evolved into the two basic kinds of today's whales. They are essentially divided by their feeding apparatus: baleen whales and toothed whales.
Baleen whales (like Southern Rights) are filter feeders, using baleen to sieve tiny marine crustaceans from the sea. They are primarily migratory species, needing to travel to the Antarctic waters in summer when their prey is most plentiful.
Toothed whales have teeth. Their main food is fish, although some species have other preferences as well, such as Killer whales (Orcas) which love seals and sea lions, and Sperm whales, which prey on large squid.
IDENTIFYING WHALE SPECIES
Six of the most often seen species are the Southern Right, Humpback, Sperm and Killer Whales, and Common dolphins. Each species can be identified by the shape of their blow, and the size and shape of their tail flukes and pectoral fins.(See Identifying Species)
Southern Right Whale:14 – 18 metres. Dark brown to black with white patches on belly; no dorsal fin; white skin callosities on head; V-shaped blow;A large, rotund whale. Endangered. |
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Sperm Whale:12 – 18 metres. Black to brownish grey with white patches on mouth and belly; huge square head; heavily wrinkled skin; blow angles forward and to the left. Deep divers (up to 3km); feed on squid and fish. Classified as Insufficiently Known. |
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Humpback Whale:13 – 16 metres. Dark brown to black with white on flippers, flanks and belly; knobs on top of head and throat grooves; bushy blow; extremely long pectoral (side) fins. Vulnerable. |
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Minke Whale:8 – 10 metres. Dark, slate grey with pale to white undersides and white marks on flippers; sharply pointed head; tall dorsal fin; inconspicuous blow. A small baleen whale. Classified as secure. |
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Orca (Killer Whale):8 – 9 metres. Bold black and white patterns; tall, erect, triangular dorsal fin in males, more curved in females. Formidable predators eating fish, seals and even whales. Often hunt in pods. Classified as Insufficiently Known, but generally common and widespread. |
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Common Dolphin:Grows up to 2.6 metres. Dark grey to dark brown, with yellow to buff colouring on front flanks and streaks of light grey on rear flanks and tail. Widespread in SA, playful and active. |
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Most of the other whales recorded in South Australia are seen less often than those above. Some are known to occur only from single sightings or a dead, beached animal. The further 19 species that have been seen in South Australian waters are listed below. |
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Baleen Whales |
Toothed Whales |
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Zygorhiza KochiiThis is an ancestor of modern cetaceans known as Zygorhiza kochii. It was about 5-6 metres long and lived about 36-46 million years ago. (Drawing by Paul McDiarmid). |
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