Skin lesions on blue whales off southern Chile: Possible conservation implications?

• Main Authors: Brownell, Robert L., Jr., Carlson, Carole A., Galletti Vernazzani, Barbara, Cabrera, Elsa
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln 2007
• Subjects: Environmental Sciences; isla Grande; Balaenoptera musculus; Blue whale
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usdeptcommercepub/130; https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usdeptcommercepub/article/1123/viewcontent/Brownell_SC59SH21_Skin_lesions.pdf

We report on three types of skin lesions in a population of blue whales, Balaenoptera musculus, off the northwestern coast of Isla Grande de Chiloe, Chile. These lesions were: (1) cookie-cutter shark, Isistius brasilensis, bites, (2) vesicular or blister lesions, and (3) a tattoo-like skin disease....