species of beaked whales in the northwest Atlantic. These include: Blainville's beaked whale, Mesoplodon
densirostris; True's beaked whale, M. mirus; Gervais' beaked whale, M. europaeus; and Sowerby's beaked whale, M. bidens. These species are difficult to identify to the species level at sea; therefore, much of the available characterization for beaked whales is to genus level only. The...
| Other Authors: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.294.7744 http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/sars/ao1995whbv-wn.pdf |
| Summary: | densirostris; True's beaked whale, M. mirus; Gervais' beaked whale, M. europaeus; and Sowerby's beaked whale, M. bidens. These species are difficult to identify to the species level at sea; therefore, much of the available characterization for beaked whales is to genus level only. The distribution of Mesoplodon spp. in the northwest Atlantic is known principally from stranding records (Mead 1989). Off the northeast U.S. coast, beaked whale (Mesoplodon spp.) sightings have occurred principally along the southern edge of Georges Bank (including cow/calf pairs) (CeTAP 1982; Nicolas et al. 1993; NMFS unpublished data). Most sightings were in late spring and summer. In addition, beaked whales were also sighted in Gulf Stream features during NEFSC 1990-1994 surveys (NMFS unpublished data). Blainville's beaked whales have been reported from southwestern Nova Scotia to Florida, and are believed to be widely but sparsely distributed in tropical to warm-temperate waters (Leatherwood et al. 1976; Mead 1989). There are two records of standings in Nova Scotia which probably represent strays from the Gulf Stream (Mead 1989). They are considered rare in |
|---|