The fin whale Balaenoptera physalus (L. 1758) in the

0,55

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Mediterranean Sea

46

stron

6591

ID

Tethys Research Institute

2003

rok

ABSTRACT

The ecology and status of fin whales Balaenoptera physalus in the Mediterranean Sea is reviewed.

The species’ presence, morphology, distribution, movements, population structure, ecology and

behaviour in this semi-enclosed marine region are summarized, and the review is complemented

with original, previously unpublished data.

Although the total size of the fin whale population in the Mediterranean is unknown, an estimate for a

portion of the western basin, where most of the whales are known to live, was approximately 3500

individuals. High whale densities, comparable to those found in rich oceanic habitats, were found in

well-defined areas of high productivity. Most whales concentrate in the Ligurian-Corsican-Provençal

Basin, where their presence is particularly noticeable during summer; however, neither their

movement patterns throughout the region nor their seasonal cycle are clear.