Whale Anatomy Photos

Fin whale underwater. The fin whale is the second longest and sixth most massive animal ever, reaching lengths of 88 feet.
Species: Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 27116  

Blue whale fluking up (raising its tail) before a dive to forage for krill, Baja California (Mexico).
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Image ID: 03332  

Blue whale, raising fluke prior to diving for food, fluking up, lifting tail as it swims in the open ocean foraging for food.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 40608  

A humpback whale raises it fluke out of the water, the coast of Del Mar and La Jolla is visible in the distance.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Del Mar, California
Image ID: 27142  

A neonate gray whale calf, born just hours before, still exhbiting embryonic folds in the skin along its side. This baby gray whale was born in the cold waters of Big Sur, far to the north of the Mexican lagoons of Baja California where most gray whale births take place.
Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Location: Monterey, California
Image ID: 01135  

Gray whales, two males both with extended penis during courtship socialization, Laguna San Ignacio.
Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Location: San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 06431  

Gray whale baleen.
Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Image ID: 03388  

Blue whale fluke, powerful tail that propels the huge whale through the open ocean.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Image ID: 01910  

Fin whale underwater. The fin whale is the second longest and sixth most massive animal ever, reaching lengths of 88 feet.
Species: Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 27113  

Fin whale dorsal fin. The fin whale is named for its tall, falcate dorsal fin. Mariners often refer to them as finback whales. Coronado Islands, Mexico (northern Baja California, near San Diego).
Species: Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 12769  

A humpback whale raises it fluke out of the water, the coast of Del Mar and La Jolla is visible in the distance.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Del Mar, California
Image ID: 27137  

A humpback whale raises it fluke out of the water, the coast of Del Mar and La Jolla is visible in the distance.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Del Mar, California
Image ID: 27141  

Gray whale.
Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Location: Big Sur, California
Image ID: 01182  

Whale shark.
Species: Whale shark, Rhincodon typus
Location: Darwin Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Image ID: 01503  

Whale shark.
Species: Whale shark, Rhincodon typus
Location: Darwin Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Image ID: 01513  

Blue whale fluke, powerful tail that propels the huge whale through the open ocean.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Image ID: 01911  

Rissos dolphin surfacing with eye showing. Note distinguishing and highly variable skin and dorsal fin patterns, characteristic of this species. White scarring, likely caused by other Risso dolphins teeth, accumulates during the dolphins life so that adult Rissos dolphins are almost entirely white. San Diego.
Species: Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 02314  

An enormous blue whale raises its fluke (tail) high out of the water before diving. Open ocean offshore of San Diego.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 07554  

Rissos dolphin, breaching. Note distinguishing and highly variable skin and dorsal fin patterns, characteristic of this species. White scarring, likely caused by other Risso dolphins teeth, accumulates during the dolphins life so that adult Rissos dolphins are almost entirely white. San Diego.
Species: Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 00983  

Gray whale, neonate calf with embryonic folds visible.
Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Location: Monterey, California
Image ID: 01129  

Gray whale.
Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Location: Monterey, California
Image ID: 01190  

Blue whale, caudal stem, fluke with median notch.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Image ID: 02220  

Blue whale, fluke, tail with median notch, lifting tail before diving in the open ocean.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Image ID: 02221  

Blue whale, fluke up before dive.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Image ID: 02310  

Blue whale fluking up, raising its tail, before a dive in the open ocean.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Image ID: 03336  

Courting gray whales, Laguna San Ignacio.
Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Location: San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 03393  

Gray whale, Laguna San Ignacio.
Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Location: San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 03395  

Courting gray whales, Laguna San Ignacio.
Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Location: San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 03396  

An enormous blue whale raises its fluke (tail) high out of the water before diving. Open ocean offshore of San Diego.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 07549  

An enormous blue whale raises its fluke (tail) high out of the water before diving. Open ocean offshore of San Diego.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 07552