Cetaceans

Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is a marine mammal belonging to the baleen whale parvorder, Mysticeti. At up to 29.9 metres (98 ft) in length and with a maximum recorded weight of 173 tonnes (190 short tons),[6] it is the largest animal known to have ever existed. Long and slender, the…

Striped Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) Also known as the fin whale, its most prominent feature are its markings. The top and sides of the body are black or a dark greyish-brown, which fades gradually into white on the belly. The colour of the head, however, is asymmetrical. The right side of its face is light grey…

Bryde’s Whale (Balaenoptera edeni) It is similar in appearance to the sei whale, though the Bryde’s whale is smaller and more robust, featuring a characteristic that is unique to this family: three ridges on the top of its head as opposed to one central ridge. Male specimens measure 13.7 metres (45 feet), while females measure…

Common Rorqual (Balaenoptera physalus) Also known as the fin whale, its most prominent feature are its markings. The top and sides of the body are black or a dark greyish-brown, which fades gradually into white on the belly. The colour of the head, however, is asymmetrical. The right side of its face is light grey…

Beaked whales are one of the least understood of all whales.

This species’ appearance resembles a combination of a dolphin and a killer whale, with a dark skin.

Also known as “Pilot whale” or “Short-finned Pilot whale “, this species belongs to the family of the dolphins, being therefore a odontocete, (cetacean with teeth).

The best known of the dolphins for their presence in dolphinariums and appearances in films and television series. In Tenerife it is considered a resident species, since we can easily find it all year round at a short distance from the coast.

Spotted atlantic Dolphin

This species of oceanic character is distributed by most of the seas of the planet

The anatomical feature that can most help us to identify it in the sea is its elongated cranium

It is the largest of toothed cetaceans and can be easily mistaken for a Great Whale as it is similar in size. Highlights of its anatomy are its gigantic head, which covers a third of its body, dark knobbly skin and a small hump, similar to a dorsal n. It feeds on giant squid found 2,000 metres below sea level, which means it sometimes has to hold its breath for over an hour to hunt its prey. Sperm whales are more frequently spotted in spring, in groups of 4 to 6 females with their calves.