PIRFO Whale, dolphin and sea birds ID cards for Pacific Islands Regional Fisheries Observers Prepared by the Pacific Community, Noumea, New Caledonia, 2016 © Pacific Community, 2016 These identification cards are produced by the Pacific Community (SPC) to help with the identification of species of special interest (protected species) encountered by Fisheries Observers while onboard commercial tuna boats that fish in the western and central Pacific Ocean (WCPO). The species included in these cards are the ones commonly recorded by observers on tuna vessels operating in the WCPO. The cards can be easily accessed by observers while working on deck during fishing operations to verify and correctly identify species. The cards also assist in training observers operating within the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission Convention Area. Printing of these cards was made possible through financial assistance provided by the Japan Trust Fund. This project was coordinated by SPC’s Oceanic Fisheries Programme Fisheries Monitoring Section and Fisheries Information Section. Colour illustrations by Hazel Adams (p. 4-8), Youngmi Choi (p. 11-38); black and white illustrations courtesy of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). This publication is based on the Marine species identification manual for horizontal longline fishermen by Chapman et al. (2006). First published – 2006. Original text: English
Pacific Community Cataloguing-in-publication data Pacific Islands Regional Fisheries Observers (PIRFO): whale, dolphin and sea birds ID cards for Pacific Islands Regional Fishe- ries Observers / prepared by the Pacific Community 1. Marine fishes – Identification – Oceania. 4. Fishery management – Oceania. 2. Marine fishes – Classification – Oceania. 5. Fishes – Identification – Oceania. 3. Marine mammals – Identification – Oceania.
I. Title II. Pacific Community 597.0995 AACR2 ISBN: 978-982-00-0994-3 Baleen whales
Dorsal fin Blowholes Peduncle Rostrum or tail stock
Flipper Baleen plates Ventral grooves (pectoral fin) Flanks Flukes
Baleen whales 3 Baleen whales 4
Blue whale Balaenoptera musculus
Small dorsal fin located far back on the body
Body blue/grey mottled colouration
BLW Maximum length: 30 m Fin whale Balaenoptera physalus
Single median ridge on the rostrum
FIW Maximum length: 24 m White lower right jaw Baleen whales 5 Baleen whales 6 Sei whale Balaenoptera borealis Large falcate dorsal fin
Single distinct ridge on the rostrum
SIW Maximum length: 18 m Bryde’s whale Balaenoptera edeni
Three distinct longitudinal ridges on the rostrum
BRW Maximum length: 15 m
Baleen whales 7 Baleen whales 8 Minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata
Dorsal fin is tall and falcate
White underside belly White patch on each flipper
MIW Maximum length: 9 m Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae Knobby protrusions on rostrum and pectoral flippers
Barnacles on the chin Distinct scalloped edge with a white-flecked underside Elongated flippers
HUW Maximum length: 16 m
Baleen whales 9 Toothed whales 10 Toothed whales
Cape (colour, depth and size may depend on sex, age, life status and where they are seen in the water)
Forehead (melon) Dorsal fin (falcate – shaped like a sickle) Blowhole Ear
Beak or rostrum Fluke notch
Flukes
Mouth line Crease Mammary slits (female only) Mouth Navel Uro-genital slit Flipper Belly Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus Unique “blow” for a cetacean, with blow directed Low dorsal hump followed at an angle forward and to the left by a series of knuckles Huge square head
Body appears wrinkled
SPW Maximum length: 18 m
Toothed whales 11 Toothed whales 12 Pygmy sperm whale Kogia breviceps Dorsal fin tiny, located after mid-back Body may appear wrinkled
Small narrow jaw
No creases on throat Short flippers located far forward on body
PYW Maximum length: 3.7 m Dwarf sperm whale Kogia simus
Dorsal fin tiny, located after mid-back
Body may appear wrinkled
Small narrow jaw Creases on throat Short flippers located far forward on body
DWW Maximum length: 2.7 m
Toothed whales 13 Toothed whales 14 Cuvier’s beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris
Melon forehead Long white “scratches” (males white / less distinct in females) on upper body and sides (males)
Short indistinct beak
Two small circular teeth at tip of lower jaw (males) White to cream blotches on underside
BCW Maximum length: 7 m Blainville’s beaked whale Mesoplodon densirostris Pale blotches all over body “scratches” (males) Flattened forehead Large horn-like teeth erupt Dark bluish-grey upperside / from lower jaw (males) light grey underside
Strong arched lower jaw Pale belly
BBW Maximum length: 5 m
Toothed whales 15 Toothed whales 16
False killer whale Pseudorca crassidens Dorsal fin with pointed tip, located mid-back
Indistinct cape when viewed from boat Long slim tapered head Dark body
Straight mouth line
Distinctive hump on front margin of flippers
FAW Maximum length: 6 m Short finned pilot whales Globicephala macrorhynchus Dorsal fin base broad, rounded tip, located well forward
Melon shaped head Cape or saddle behind dorsal fin often visible extends past mouth Dark body
Upturned mouth line Flippers gently curved, pointed tips
SHW Maximum length: 6 m
Toothed whales 17 Toothed whales 18
Melon-headed Whale Peponocephala electra
Cape dips below dorsal fin Dorsal fin tall, falcate Head triangular when seen from above
Dark body
Sharply pointed flippers White lips
MEW Maximum length: 2.7 m Pygmy Killer Whale Feresa attenuata Dorsal fin tall, falcate Narrow cape
Head slightly melon shaped Dark body
Lips, chin and belly white Long flippers with rounded tips
KPW Maximum length: 3 m
Toothed whales 19 Dolphins 20 Dolphins
Dorsal fin (falcate – shaped like a sickle) Eye Cape
Forehead Flukes Beak
Fluke notch Anus Mouth Navel Mammary slits (females only) Flipper Belly Uro-genital slit Long beaked common Dolphin Delphinus capensis
Distinct cape, V-shaped below dorsal fin Flattish forehead
Long beak
Wide flipper stripe to mouth Flipper to anus stripe moderately to strongly developed
DCZ Maximum length: 2.4 m
Dolphins 21 Dolphins 22 Short beaked common dolphin Delphinus delphis Light patch often present on dorsal fin and flippers Light yellow patch
Eye patch contrasting in colour Distinct cape, V-shaped below dorsal fin
Rounded forehead
Shorter beak
Flipper to anal stripe weak or absent Thin flipper stripe not approaching mouth, narrowing ahead of eyes DCO Maximum length: 2 m Striped Dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba
Distinct cape markings Moderately long dark beak
Thin stripe from eye to flipper Dark pointed flippers located in white body area Thin stripe from eye to anus
DST Maximum length: 2.6 m
Dolphins 23 Dolphins 24 Indo – Pacific bottle nose dolphin Tursiops aduncus
Tall falcate dorsal fin
Forehead more gently sloping
Longer beak
No distinct body markings Pointed flippers
DBZ Maximum length: 2.7 m Common bottle-nose dolphin tursiops truncatus
Blunt and abruptly sloping all falcate dorsal fin forehead
Short beak
No distinct body markings Pointed flippers
DBO Maximum length: 3.8 m
Dolphins 25 Dolphins 26
Pantropical Spotted Dolphin Stenella attenuata Dark falcate dorsal fin
Long, narrow white tipped beak Distinct cape dips deeply before dorsal fin
Dark band from eye to flipper Spotted body markings that develop with age
DPN Maximum length: 2.6 m Spinner Dolphin Stenella longirostris Tall, dorsal fin varies from triangular to falcate Very long and narrow black-tipped beak
Stripe from eye to flipper White belly
Long pointed flippers
DSI Maximum length: 2.1 m
Dolphins 27 Dolphins 28 Fraser’s Dolphin Lagenodelphis hosei Small dorsal fin
Short beak
Belly usually creamy or pinkish Broad face to anus stripe Small pointed flippers
FDR Maximum length: 2.7 m Rough-toothed Dolphin Steno bredanensis Cape that narrows between eye and dorsal fin
Sloping head
Long beak, often white Yellow or pinkish “scratches” White to pinkish belly
RTD Maximum length: 2.8 m
Dolphins 29 Dolphins 30
Risso’s Dolphin Grampus griseus
Tall, slender, falcate dorsal fin, darker than body
Distinctive cleft in forehead
Blunt head, no beak Body with extensive “scratches”
DRR Maximum length: 4 m Killer Whale Orcinus orca Dorsal fin straight and tall on males, lower and slightly falcate on females and juveniles
Distinct black and white markings on body and head
KIW Maximum length: 9 m
Dolphins 31 Sea birds 32
Sea birds
Wing
Plumage
Body Nostril Eye Back Tail Bill
Stomach or belly Leg Foot Black-footed albatross Diomedea nigripes
White patch behind eyes
Dark head, body and wings
White ring around base of bill
Black-brown bill
DKN Northern hemisphere distribution
Sea Birds 33 Sea birds 34 Laysan albatross Diomedea immutabilis Dark upper wings and back
Dark ring around eyes
Flesh coloured bill with grey tip
DIZ White head, neck and stomach Northern hemisphere distribution Albatrosses Diomedeidae
Species in this family have: • Large hooked bill • Large birds • Wing span up to 3.5 m • External nostrils at base of bill, one on each side
ALZ
Sea Birds 35 Sea birds 36 Boobies and Gannets Sulidae
Species in this family have: • Large birds SZV • Long wings with wing span up to 2.2 m • Wedge-shaped tail • Stout conical bill Petrels and Shearwaters Procellariidae
Species in this family have: • Most species smaller in size (wing span up to 1.5 m, but mainly less than 1 m) except for giant petrel (wing span up to 2.5 m) • Nostrils united in a single tube on top of bill
PRX
Sea Birds 37 Sea birds 38 Gulls,Terns and Skuas Laridae Species in this family have: • Generally smaller birds (wing span up to 1 m), with skuas larger (wing span up to 1.8 m) • Nostrils are plain openings on either side of bill • Most birds have grey and white plumage, some with black on head and wings
LRD Index Fraser’s Dolphin 28 Pseudorca crassidens 16 Gannets 36 Pygmy Killer Whale 19 Albatrosses 35 Globicephala macrorhynchus 17 Pygmy sperm whale 12 Balaenoptera acutorostrata 8 Grampus griseus 30 Risso’s Dolphin 30 Balaenoptera borealis 6 Gulls 38 Rough-toothed Dolphin 29 Balaenoptera edeni 7 Humpback whale 9 Sei whale 6 Balaenoptera musculus 4 Indo – Pacific bottle nose dolphin 24 Shearwaters 37 Balaenoptera physalus 5 Killer Whale 31 Short beaked common dolphin 22 Black-footed albatross 33 Kogia breviceps 12 Short finned pilot whales 17 Blainville’s beaked whale 15 Kogia simus 13 Skuas 38 Blue whale 4 Lagenodelphis hosei 28 Sperm whale 11 Boobies 36 Laysan albatross 34 Spinner Dolphin 27 Bryde’s whale 7 Laridae 38 Stenella attenuata 26 Common bottle-nose dolphin 25 Long beaked common Dolphin 21 Stenella coeruleoalba 23 Cuvier’s beaked whale 14 Melon-headed Whale 18 Stenella longirostris 27 Delphinus capensis 21 Megaptera novaeangliae 9 Steno bredanensis 29 Delphinus delphis 22 Mesoplodon densirostris 15 Striped Dolphin 23 Diomedea immutabilis 34 Minke whale 8 Sulidae 36 Diomedea nigripes 33 Orcinus orca 31 Terns 38 Diomedeidae 35 Pantropical Spotted Dolphin 26 Tursiops aduncus 24 Dwarf sperm whale 13 Peponocephala electra 18 tursiops truncatus 25 False killer whale 16 Petrels 37 Ziphius cavirostris 14 Feresa attenuata 19 Physeter macrocephalus 11 Fin whale 5 Procellariidae 37 PACIFIC COMMUNITY BP D5 • 98848 NOUMEA CEDEX • NEW CALEDONIA Telephone: +687 26 20 00 Facsimile: +687 26 38 18 Email: [email protected] http://www.spc.int/
Funding provided by the Japan Trust Fund of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission Prepared for publication at the Pacific Community headquarters, Noumea, New Caledonia, 2016 and printed in Australia by Norwood Industries Pty Ltd.