A female sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus (Fig. 1) measuring 4 m, weighing 1.5 t was washed ashore in dead condition at Irumeni (Palk Bay) near Mandapam on 10-11- 2000. The length at birth of a sperm whale is about 4 meters, hence it mav be in-ferred that the present

whale is a new born baby

Gandhi, V

Kasinathan, C

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Mar. Fish. Infor. Serv. .T&ESer..No. 173, 2002 999 On the landing of black porpoise Neophocaenaphocaenoides at Sangumal (Palk Bay) near Rameswaram Finless black porpoises are common in the nearshore waters' and dead ones were washed ashore on many occasions along the Palk Bay coast around Mandapam and Rameswaram. On 31.01.2001, a female black porpoise, Neophocae-naphocaenoides (Fig. 1) was landed at Sangumal (Palk Bay) near Rameswaram. Its total length and weight were 150 cm and 40 kg respectively. In the neck region the flesh was eaten by stray dogs. The porpoise was caught by gill net locally called as Vali Valai, operated off Rameswaram in the Palk Bay at a depth of 14 to 18 m. The morpho-metric measurements of the specimen are given in Table 1. Table 1. The morphometric measurements (in cm) of the black porpoise Neophocaena phocaenoides Date of observation 31.01.2001 Fig. 1. The black porpoise landed at Sangumal (Palk Bay) near Rameswaram Total length (snout to notch of caudal flukes) 150 Length from tip of snout to blow hole 15 Length from tip of snout to centre of eye 12 Length from tip of snout to anterior insertion of flipper 33 Length from tip of snout to centre of anus 110 Notch of fluke to centre of anus 42 Length of fluke on outer curvature 29 Length of fluke on inner curvature 20 Distance between extremities of fluke 28 Width at insertion of fluke 9 Length of flipper along curve of lower border 20 Length of flipper from anterior insertion to tip 26 Greatest width of flipper 11 Depth of body at anal region 46 Depth of body at origin of eye 21 Length from tip of lower jaw to centre of anus 115 length of upper jaw 7 Length of lower j aw 7 Diameter of eye 2 Number of teeth on one side of upper jaw 15 Number of teeth on one side of lower jaw 15 Sex Female Weight 40 kg Prepared by: C. Kasinathan, Mandapam Regional Centre of CMFRI, Mandapam Camp. 1000 On a sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus washed ashore at Irumeni (Palk Bay) near Mandapam A female sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus (Fig. 1) measur-ing 4 m, weighing 1.5 t was washed ashore in dead con-dition at Irumeni (Palk Bay) near Mandapam on 10-11-2000. The length at birth of a s p e r m w h a l e i s a b o u t 4 Fig.l. Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus washed meters, hence it mav be in- '^^^°^^ ^^ Irument (Palk Bay) near Mandapam ferred tha t the p resen t whale is a new born baby. The head length is about one third of the animal's length and the body ta-pered to the tall flukes. There were 25 budding teeth on one side of the lower Jaw with no teeth on upper jaw. Dorsal fin was 3 Mar. Fish. Infor. Serv.. T&E Ser.. No. 173. 2002 absent and replaced by a series of low ridges. The morphometric measurements of the sperm whale is given below: Characters Dimensions (cm) Characters Dimensions (cm) Total length (snout to notch of caudal flukes) 400 Length from tip of snout to centre of eye 70 Length from tip of snout to anterior Insertion of flipper 100 Length from tip of snout to centre of anus 255 Length from notch of fluke to posterior end of dorsal fin 160 Length from notch of fluke to centre of anus 135 Length of fluke on outer curvature 50 Length of fluke on inner curvature 55 Distance between extremities of fluke 110 Width at insertion of fluke 40 Length of dorsal fin base 30 Vertical height of dorsal fin 6 Length of flipper from anterior insertion to tip 105 Length of flipper along curve of lower border 45 Greatest width of flipper 20 Depth of body at origin of flipper 50 Depth of body at anal region 67 Depth of body in region of eye 30 Length of upper jaw 50 Length of lower j aw 40 Diameter of eye 5 Reported by: C. Kasinathan and V. Gandhi, Mandapam Regional Centre of CMFRI, Mandapam Camp. 1 0 0 1 On a sei whale Balaenoptera borealis washed ashore at Plrappanvalasai (Palk Bay) near Mandapam A male sei whale Balaenoptera borealis Lesson (Fig. 1) was washed ashore in dead condition at Plrappanvalasai (Pan; Bay) near Mandapam on 26-7-2001. The total length of the whale was 9 metres with an ap-proximate weight of 8 t o n n e s . The whale might have died in the mid sea due to an inju- Bakxenoptera borealis washed ashore at Plrappanvalasai ry caused by collision with fishing boat in the portion of the notch of the caudal flukes. It had 52 throat grooves which terminated half way between tip of flipper and umbi l i cus . The m o r p h o m e t r i c measurements of the sei whale is given below: Characters Dimension (cm) Characters Dimension (cm) Length from snout to notch of caudal flukes 900 Length from tip of snout to blow hole 180 Length from tip of snout to centre of eye 160 Length from tip of snout to anterior insertion of flipper 235 Length from tip of snout to centre of anus 650 Length from notch of fluke to posterior end of dorsal fin 300 Length of fluke on outer curvature 200 Length of fluke on inner curvature 215 Length of dorsal fin base 625 Vertical height of dorsal fin 27 Length of flipper from anterior insertion to tip 100 Length of flipper along the curve of \ower border 70 Greatest width of flipper 25 Depth of body at anal region 250 Depth of body at origin of flipper 325 Depth of body in region of eye 270 Length of upper Jaw 135 Length of lower J aw 175 Diameter of eye 25 Reported by: V. Gandhi and C. Kasinathan, Mandapam Regional Centre of CMFRI, Mandapam Camp. 

On a sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus washed ashore

at Irumeni (Palk Bay) near Mandapam

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On a sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus washed ashore at Irumeni (Palk Bay) near Mandapam

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