The Chilean Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020)

0

‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬

ISSN 0178-6288 https://palestine.academia.edu/NormanKhalaf https://issuu.com/dr-norman-ali-khalaf/docs

================================ ‫ النشرة الفلسطينية لعلم األحياء‬: ‫الغزال‬ Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin Gazelle : Das Palästinensische Biologische Bulletin

================================ Monthly Bulletin – Volume 39 – Number 203 – November 2021 Published by Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf Department for Environmental Research and Media, National Research Center, University of Palestine, Gaza, State of Palestine

================================

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

1

The Chilean Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020) By: Sharif Prof.Dr.Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Mohammad Ahmad Ahmad Mostafa Abdallah Mohammad Khalaf-Prinz Sakerfalke von Jaffa

‫ال ُحوت األزرق التشيلي (بالينوبترا ُموسكيولوس تشيلنسيس‬ )2020 ، ‫خلف‬

ُ ُ ‫ ر‬: ‫بقلم‬ ‫عل طاهر محمد أحمد‬ ‫ نورمان (ن‬.‫ د‬.‫الشيف أ‬ ‫عل بسام ي‬ ‫عمان) ي‬ ‫ى‬ ‫ى‬ ‫العيري‬ ‫صطف عبدهللا ُمحمد خلف اليافاوي‬ ‫أحمد ُم‬ Abstract There are five distinct subspecies of blue whales: the Northern Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus musculus Linnaeus, 1758 of the North Atlantic and North Pacific, the Antarctic Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus intermedia Burmeister, 1871 of the Antarctic Zone and Southern Ocean, the Pygmy Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda Ichihara, 1966 found in the Indian Ocean and South Pacific Ocean, the Northern Indian Ocean Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus indica Blyth, 1859, found in the Northern Indian Ocean, and the newly named Chilean Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020 or Balaena musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020 (ZooBank, May 2020) found off Chile and the southeastern Pacific Ocean, and which was named in May 2020 by the PalestinianGerman Zoologist Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf-Prinz Sakerfalke von Jaffa.

‫ُملخص‬ ‫ الحوت األزرق الشمالي والذي يعيش في شمال ال ُمحيط‬: ‫سالالت ُمتميزة من الحيتان الزرقاء‬ ُ ‫هناك خمسة‬ ‫ وحوت أزرق القطب ال ُجنوبي والذي يعيش في المنطقة القطبية ال ُجنوبية‬، ‫األطلسي وشمال ال ُمحيط الهادي‬ ، ‫ والحوت األزرق القزمي والذي يعيش في ال ُمحيط الهندي وجنوب ال ُمحيط الهادي‬، ‫وال ُمحيط ال ُجنوبي‬ ‫ والحوت األزرق التشيلي‬، ‫وحوت أزرق شمالي ال ُمحيط الهندي والذي يعيش في شمال ال ُمحيط الهندي‬ ‫ والذي يعيش قبالة سواحل تشيلي و ُجنوب شرق‬، ) 2020 ، ‫( بالينوبترا ُموسكيولوس تشيلنسيس خلف‬ ‫ من قبل عالم األحياء الفلسطيني – األلماني‬2020 ‫ والذي تمت تسميتهُ حديثا ً في مايو‬، ‫ال ُمحيط الهادي‬ . ‫األستاذ دكتور نورمان (نُعمان) علي بسام خلف اليافاوي العيزري‬

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

2

Introduction The Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus Linnaeus, 1758) is a marine mammal belonging to the baleen whales (Mysticeti). At 30 metres in length and 170 tonnes (190 short tons) or more in weight, it is the largest existing animal and the heaviest that ever existed (Khalaf, June 1987, August 2015, November 2018, May 2020, October 2021).

Long and slender, the blue whale's body can be various shades of bluish-grey dorsally and somewhat lighter underneath. There are five distinct subspecies of blue whales: the Northern Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus musculus Linnaeus, 1758 of the North Atlantic and North Pacific, the Antarctic Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus intermedia Burmeister, 1871 of the Antarctic Zone and Southern Ocean, the Pygmy Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda Ichihara, 1966 found in the Indian Ocean and South Pacific Ocean, the Northern Indian Ocean Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus indica Blyth, 1859, found in the Northern Indian Ocean, and the Chilean Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020 or Balaena musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020 (ZooBank, May 2020) found off Chile and the southeastern Pacific Ocean, and which was scientifically named in May 2020 by the Palestinian-German Zoologist Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf-Prinz Sakerfalke von Jaffa (Khalaf, May 2020).

The 18 meters long Holotype Skeleton of the Chilean Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020) at the Chilean National Museum of Natural History in Santiago, Chile. https://jetsettingfools.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Inside-National-Museum-SantiagoChile.jpg#main Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

3

Study In the Southern Hemisphere, blue whales are divided into three subspecies, Antarctic blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia), pygmy blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda), and the newly named subspecies, the Chilean blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020), found off Chile and the southeastern Pacific Ocean, and which is intermediate in size between pygmy blue whales and Antarctic blue whales (Khalaf, May 2020).

The newly named subspecies has been accepted by the Society for Marine Mammalogy's Taxonomy Committee (Committee on Taxonomy, 2016; Vernazzani, Jackson, Cabrera, Carlson & Brownell Jr., 2017), taking into account body measurements, maximum length, mean length at sexual maturity, ratio of length to width of baleen plates, and length of the tail region (Mackintosh & Wheeler, 1929; Ichihara, 1966), geographical, acoustic call types (Stafford, Chapp, Bohnenstiehl & Tolstoy, 2011) and genetic evidence (LeDuc et al., 2007). It is accepted that Chilean blue whales are substantially different from Antarctic blue whales and pygmy blue whales (Khalaf, May 2020).

The 18 meters long Holotype Skeleton of the Chilean Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020) at the Chilean National Museum of Natural History in Santiago, Chile. https://www.expedia.com/National-Museum-Of-Natural-History-DowntownSantiago.d6072119.Vacation-Attraction

Scientific data (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020) shows that maximum body length and mean body length of both sexually mature females and males for Chilean blue whales are intermediate between pygmy and Antarctic blue whales; and that Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

4

fluke-anus lengths of Chilean blue whales differ greatly from pygmy blue whales, but not generally from Antarctic blue whales, and even the snout-eye dimensions vary among all three groups. Such scientific findings further indicate that Chilean blue whales are a distinct group requiring different management from other populations of blue whales, and are also consistent with suggestions (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020) that Chilean blue whales are not the same subspecies as pygmy blue whales (Khalaf, May 2020).

The Antarctic and Pygmy blue whales segregate latitudinally during the austral summer, with Antarctic blue whales happening principally south of 52°–54°S and pygmy blue whales toward the north (Branch et al., 2007; Ichihara, 1966). During the austral winter, some Antarctic blue whales stay south of 54°S (Širović, Hildebrand, Wiggins & Thiele, 2009), while most scatter northwards, sometimes almost reaching the Equator, in the western Pacific, eastern Pacific, eastern and central Atlantic (Thomisch, 2017), and in the central and eastern Indian Oceans (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020; Khalaf, May 2020).

The structure of population of pygmy blue whales is less evident than that of Antarctic blue whales. Specific song types are correlated with groupings of blue whales occurring in the northern Indian Ocean, the western Indian Ocean, southern and southwestern Australia to Indonesia, the southwestern Pacific including New Zealand, and the southeastern Pacific from the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) to Chile (Branch, Abubaker, Mkango & Butterworth, 2007). The taxonomic status of blue whales from different geographic areas is in flux, with controversy as to whether Northern Indian Ocean blue whales (B. m. indica) and Chilean blue whales (B. m. chilensis) (new subspecies) can both be regarded as separate subspecies (Branch and Mikhalev, 2008; Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020; Khalaf, May 2020).

LeDuc et al. (2007) conducted an mtDNA and microsatellite genetic analysis involving blue whales from three geographic areas, the Southeast Pacific Ocean including Chilean waters, the Southwest Indian Ocean (pygmy blue whales) and the Antarctic continent (Antarctic blue whales). Blue whales were strongly distinguished from each of these geographical areas, and the genetic distinction between nominal subspecies (Antarctic and pygmy blue whales) was close to that between Chilean blue whales and pygmy blue whales. More recent genetic work has confirmed that there is a distinction between pygmy, Antarctic and southeastern Pacific blue whales, and genetic differences between southeastern and northeastern Pacific blue whales have also been found (LeDuc et al., 2017). Of main interest is that blue whales in the ETP are genetically similar to Chilean blue whales if they are in the offshore waters of Peru and Ecuador south of the Equator, but genetically similar to northeastern Pacific blue whales if they are in the Costa Rica Dome area north of 6 ° N (LeDuc et al., 2017). No samples were collected between 0 ° and 6 ° N, where despite comprehensive ship-based survey efforts there is still a void in sightings (Branch et al., 2007). Additional genetic studies in Antarctic blue whales have found a high genetic diversity including differentiation among the six IWC areas Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

5

(Sremba, Hancock‐Hanser, Branch, LeDuc, & Baker, 2012); evidence for three genetically distinct but sympatric groupings of Antarctic blue whales (Attard, Beheregaray & Möller, 2016); that Antarctic blue whales are the founding population of both Australian pygmy and Chilean blue whales (Attard et al., 2015); and that while blue whales in Australia (Attard et al., 2015) and New Zealand (Barlow et al., 2018) have low genetic diversity, Chilean blue whales have high genetic diversity (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020; Khalaf, May 2020).

A huge 66 feet Chilean blue whale carcass was discovered on the shoreline of Punta Arenas in the Magallanes Region, Chile on 20.02.2018. https://www.sott.net/article/377888-Blue-whalecarcass-washes-up-on-the-coast-of-Chile

Branch et al. (2007) conducted length frequency study of sexually mature female blue whales from many parts of the Southern Hemisphere. One of their main findings was the mean length of sexually mature Chilean blue whales (23.5 meters) was intermediate between blue whales taken from both the southern and northern Indian Ocean, north of 52 ° S (21.0 meters) and Antarctic blue whales (25.4–26.6 meters) . Their interpretation of this finding was that Chilean whales are a distinct subspecies or distinctive population.

This interpretation has been accepted by the Society for Marine Mammalogy, which now lists three subspecies of blue whales in the Southern Hemisphere: Antarctic blue whale B. m. intermedia; pygmy blue whale B. m. brevicauda; and Chilean blue whale B. m. un‐named subsp. (Committee on Taxonomy, 2018) (now newly named B. m. chilensis Khalaf, 2020) (Khalaf, May 2020). Their classification was based both on Branch et al.

(2007), and the molecular data in LeDuc et al. (2007). However, this classification is not consistent with the phylogenetic concept of Evolutionary Significant Units (ESUs) sensu Moritz (1994), since although blue whales from the southwestern Indian Ocean, Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

6

southeastern Pacific off Chile and Antarctic display significant genetic differentiation, they are not characterized by complete monophyly (LeDuc et al., 2007; Attard et al., 2015; Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020; Khalaf, May 2020).

Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) Study The biological data addressing the taxonomical question, comes from a comparative morphometric analysis of Chilean blue whales using data collected during Japanese whaling operations conducted in Chile in 1964/1965 (length and sex only) and 1965/1966 (length, sex, and morphometric measurements), and the original pygmy blue whale data from Ichihara (1966) reported in full in Omura (1984) (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020).

Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) wrote in their paper: “The novel data used in our analyses are length from the tip of snout to center of eye (snout‐eye length) and length from notch of flukes to anus (fluke‐anus length) of Chilean blue whales. These data have never previously been analyzed or published. Data were collected during whaling operations by the Japanese company Nitto Whaling in Chile during November to March in 1964/1965 (396 blue whales caught) and 1965/1966 (120 blue whales caught), conducted from two land stations: Iquique in the north, and Valparaíso in the south. For each blue whale caught, the following information was available: date, position (latitude and longitude), sex, and total body length. All measurements were recorded in meters and centimeters, with total body length recorded to the nearest 0.1 m. Information on sex and total body length was obtained by specialized personnel of the whaling company”.

Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) continued: “In addition, for a subsample (n = 39 females, n = 21 males) of blue whales caught in 1965/1966, the same company personnel conducted an independent biological survey, for which they recorded the following additional information: (1) body height (meters); (2) blubber thickness (centimeters); (3) length from tip of snout to center of eye (meters); (4) length from notch of flukes to anus (meters); and (5) relative presence of spots on the body surface (0 = no spots, 1 = few spots, 2 = moderate spots, and 3 = many spots). Chilean blue whale data were obtained from a former staff of the Fisheries Agency of Japan, who had compiled the historical data of Chilean blue whales. Luis A. Pastene received and archived the data”.

Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) added: “An initial examination of the length data revealed a large number of individuals in 1964/1965 measuring 21.2 m (n = 79), 21.3 m (n = 28), 21.4 m (n = 106), and 21.5 m (n = 46). In total, 65% of all catches were recorded as being 21.2–21.5 m, and none were recorded as being shorter than 21.2 m. In 1965/1966, a similar pattern was evident, with 55 individuals recorded as exactly 21.3 m (46% of the total). Given that the minimum length regulation for blue whales under the Comision Permanente del Pacifico Sur (CPPS) (organization in charge of the management of whaling in the southeast Pacific at that time) was 70 ft (21.3 m), it seems Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

7

likely that “whale stretching” occurred in these lengths, with shorter whales being recorded as just‐legal in length. Such practices were widespread throughout the Southern Hemisphere for many nations (e.g., Branch et al., 2007).

There is no evidence of whale stretching for the 60 whales with additional biological information, which included whales from 21.2 m to 24.9 m, of which four were 21.2 m, one was 21.3 m, two were 21.4 m, four were 21.6 m, etc. with no obvious length bias.

Subsequent analyses are therefore focused on these 60 whales.”

Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) continues: “Of particular importance for the present study are the measurements of length from tip of the snout to the notch of the fluke (total body length), snout‐eye length, and fluke‐anus length, which will give the opportunity to test for differences between Chilean, pygmy and Antarctic blue whales.

Because this was a joint operation between Chile and Japan, the measurements should be comparable to those obtained by Ichihara (1966) from other pelagic catches by Japanese whalers (IWC, 2018), since company personnel had previous training at coastal whaling stations in Japan on how to obtain measurements of whales caught under the guidance of scientists from the Whales Research Institute (S. Ohsumi, personal communication, October 15, 2018)”.

A huge 66 feet Chilean blue whale carcass has been stomped on by people taking selfies on the shoreline of Punta Arenas in the Magallanes Region, Chile on 20.02.2018. https://www.sott.net/article/377888-Blue-whale-carcass-washes-up-on-the-coast-of-Chile Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

8

Analytical Procedures Length measurements available for the 60 blue whales taken off Chile (total length, snout‐eye length, and fluke‐anus length) were compared to those for Antarctic blue whales (Mackintosh and Wheeler, 1929), and pygmy blue whales caught in the Indian Ocean between 27°–80°E and 40°–56°S (Ichihara, 1966; Omura, 1984; Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020).

Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) continue: “Pygmy blue whale catches were described by Ichihara (1966), who reported that a total of 2,540 were taken in four Antarctic whaling seasons: 1959/1960 (311), 1960/1961 (1,127), 1961/1962 (388), and 1962/1963 (714). Ichihara (1961) conducted several analyses based on the 311 whales taken in 1959/1960; while Ichihara (1963) conducted body proportion analyses of whales taken in 1959/1960–1961/1962. Subsequently Ichihara (1966) conducted biological research of pygmy blue whales taken “after the 1959–60 season.”

Unfortunately, none of the Ichihara papers provide details of the data used in the analyses.

Additional biological data including pygmy blue whale body proportion data were obtained by Ichihara himself in 1959/1960 around Kerguelen Island (49°S, 70°E), and 1960/1961 around Marion Island (47°S, 38°E). Omura (1984) provided details of the additional biological data from Ichihara for 62 whales sampled during these two seasons, which are the basis for our comparisons with Chilean and Antarctic blue whales.

Additional detailed measurements are available for two pygmy blue whales caught in 1970 in the area 48°–49°S, 32°–43°E, with total length 21.8 m and 18.9 m; and fluke‐anus length of 5.00 m and 4.38 m, respectively (Anonymous, 1970), but since the author of these measurements is not listed, we have excluded them from the analyses in our paper”.

Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) added: “Two comparative analyses were conducted among Antarctic, pygmy, and Chilean blue whales. First, the measurements total length, snout‐eye length and fluke‐anus length were examined independently from each other. In this case only sexually mature whales were used for the analysis.

Second, the measurements snout‐eye length and fluke‐anus length were examined in relation to the total length. In this case both mature and immature whales were used for the analysis.”

Analysis for Mature Whales Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) continue: “Sexually immature Antarctic blue whales are similar in length to sexually mature pygmy blue whales so that their lengths cannot be used to separate the two subspecies, but mature females have a much smaller overlap and are more useful for this purpose (Branch et al., 2007). To avoid biases, the analyses were limited to those whales considered sexually mature. For Antarctic blue Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

9

whales, the length at which 50% of individuals are sexually mature (L50) is estimated to be 23.7 m for females and 22.6 m for males (Mackintosh & Wheeler, 1929) or an updated estimate of 23.4 m for females (Branch & Mikhalev, 2008). All females ≥23.4 m and males ≥22.6 m were considered to be mature. Similarly, for pygmy blue whales all females exceeding L50 = 19.2 m were considered mature (Branch & Mikhalev, 2008; Ichihara, 1966), and males exceeding 18.3 m were considered mature based on Ichihara (1966) finding two immature males of length 18.0 m and all 18 males of length 18.6–20.4 m being mature.

In the case of the Chilean blue whale, no estimates of L50 are available, but Branch et al.

(2007) found that the average length of sexually mature females (Lmean) was 23.5 m, compared to 21.0 m for pygmy blue whales and 26.0 m for Antarctic blue whales. Given the ratio of L50/Lmean is 0.914 for pygmy blue whales and 0.900 for Antarctic blue whales, the average (0.907) was multiplied by Lmean for Chilean blue whales to get an estimate of L50 of 21.3 m for sexually mature females. This length is supported by Durban et al. (2016), who found two females accompanied by calves with total lengths of 22.2 m and 22.7 m. For males, we note that the ratio of male:female sexual maturity is 0.953 for pygmy blue whales and 0.966 for Antarctic blue whales, implying that L50 for male Chilean blue whales is approximately 0.959 × 21.3 = 20.5 m. A sensitivity test was conducted to check whether the differing lengths at sexual maturity for each population may have influenced the results. For this aim we repeated the analyses using an identical cutoff of 21.9 m for all populations.”

A huge 66 feet Chilean blue whale carcass proved a draw for locals in the area with people descending on the Punta Arenas beach to take pictures in the Magallanes Region, Chile on 20.02.2018. https://www.sott.net/article/377888-Blue-whale-carcass-washes-up-on-the-coastof-Chile Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

10

Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) added: “Based on these lengths, the sample sizes of putative sexually mature blue whales with biological measurements (total length, fluke‐anus length, and snout‐eye length) used in this study was 347 for Antarctic blue whales (182 females and 165 males) (data from Mackintosh & Wheeler, 1929), 53 for pygmy blue whales (37 females and 16 males) (data from Ichihara, 1966; Omura, 1984) and 58 for Chilean blue whales (37 females and 21 males) (this study).

Two females in the Chilean sample were less than 21.3 m, and assumed to be immature, leaving 58 Chilean blue whales out of 60 for this part of the analysis.

For the analysis each subset of the data was plotted independently to examine a priori assumptions of normality and homogeneity using Shapiro Wilks and Levene's tests, respectively (Zar, 1984). Because some sets of these characters did not meet these assumptions, the nonparametric tests Mann–Whitney‐Wilcoxon, W, and Kruskal‐Wallis, H, were used to test for differences between the sexes in total length of the blue whales caught in Chile between the 1964/1965 and 1965/1966 seasons, and in the three morphology measurements, for each of the three geographic groupings of blue whales.

Analyses were performed using R version 3.1.2 (R Core Team, 2016) with a significance level for all tests of α = 0.05.”

Results Body length of all Chilean blue whale catches A total of 516 blue whales were caught by the Japanese company Nitto Whaling in Chile in 1964/1965 and 1965/1966. The ratio of male:female did not show a significant deviation in the 1964/1965 (0.96; chi‐square = 0.16, p = .68), and 1965/1966 (0.87; chi‐square = 0.53, p = .46) seasons, or in both seasons combined (0.9398; chi‐square = 0.49, p = .48). Recorded body length (BL) ranged from 21.2 m to 24.9 m in females and from 21.2 m to 24.0 m in males (Table 1) (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020).

Table 1. Summary of the statistics on body length of all blue whales caught in Chile in 1964/1965 and 1965/1966 (all lengths in meters) (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020).

Season 1964/1965

Female

N

Mean

SD

Median

Minimum a

Maximum

202

21.74

0.66

21.5

21.2

24.6

Male

194

21.53

0.41

21.4

21.2

24.0

Subtotal

396

21.63

0.56

21.4

21.2

24.6

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

11

Season 1965/1966

Total

Female

N

Mean

SD

Median

Minimum a

Maximum

64

22.30

1.04

22.0

21.3

24.9

Male

56

21.66

0.60

21.3

21.3

23.7

Subtotal

120

22.00

0.92

21.6

21.3

24.9

516

21.72

0.68

21.40

21.2

24.9

a 21.3 m is 70 ft, which was the minimum legal catch length at the time. It seems likely that, as for other countries at the time, that blue whales recorded at 21.2 m or 21.3 m were “stretched” to be 70 ft, but they could have been shorter (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020).

In both whaling seasons, females were significantly longer than males for animals above L50 (W1964/1965 = 21,708, Mann–Whitney, p < .001, n = 358; W1965/1966 = 2,439, Mann– Whitney, p < .001, n = 120). The test failed to find differences between the two whaling seasons for females or for males (Wfemales = 4,757, Mann–Whitney, p = .17, n = 232; Wmales = 5,190, Mann–Whitney, p = .77, n = 246) (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020).

Because of the issue of whale stretching, we also compared total lengths only for whales that were ≥22.0 m. For all catches (n = 516), there were 5.8% males and 14.9% females ≥22.0 m, indicating a greater proportion of females captured within the population (chi‐square = 4.0, p = 0.04), but the test failed to find differences in total average lengths (22.9 m for females and 22.6 m for males) (W = 1,428, Mann–Whitney, p = .057, n = 107) (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020).

Body length of all pygmy blue whale catches Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) wrote in their paper: “The morphometric data for the 62 pygmy blue whales were checked to see if they were representative of total Japanese pygmy blue whale catches in the pelagic Antarctic seasons of 1959/1960 (around Kerguelen) and 1960/1961 (Marion). In total, 1,438 blue whales were caught in these seasons, with a male:female ratio of 1.03, and total lengths of 18.9–24.4 m for females and 18.6–23.5 m for males. The male:female ratio in the 62 pygmy blue whales (Omura 1984) was lower (0.51) indicating a preference for sampling females, but had similar total lengths of 18.6–24.2 m for females and 18.0–23.1 m for males.

A side note to the analyses above is that while Ichihara (1966) specifically stated that the Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

12

longest pygmy blue whale was 79 ft (24.1 m), and Omura (1984) included one of 24.2 m, the IWC catch database records three female pygmy blue whales as being 80 ft long (i.e., 24.3–24.5 m). These were all taken from 1 to February 11, 1962 between 47°–49°S and 37°–43°E, by Tonan Maru II, Kyokuyo Maru II, and Kyokuyo Maru III, and are annotated in the database as needing checking since they exceed the 79 ft maximum recorded by Ichihara (1966). If accepted as correct, these three records extend the currently accepted maximum length of pygmy blue whales from 24.2 m to 80 ft (24.3–24.5 m)”.

Comparative analyses among Chilean, Antarctic and pygmy blue whales Chilean data in these analyses comprise only the 60 Chilean blue whales caught in 1965/1966 for which total length, snout‐eye length and fluke‐anus length measurements were recorded (only 58 whales were used in analyses for putative sexually mature individuals as explained above) (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020).

Maximum body length Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) continue: “For maximum recorded length, there were five Chilean blue whales that were longer than the currently accepted 24.2 m maximum pygmy blue whale length in the Indian Ocean (see discussion above). These five Chilean whales were all females and measured 24.3, 24.3, 24.6, 24.7, and 24.9 m.

Furthermore, 9 out of 60 Chilean blue whales were longer than 23.1 m, while only 1 out of 62 pygmy blue whales with detailed measurements was longer than 23.1 m. A random permutation test revealed this difference to be statistically significant (p = .005)”.

Analysis for mature whales Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) added: “The statistics for total length, snout‐eye length, and fluke‐anus length for whales above L50 are summarized in Table 2 for Antarctic, pygmy and Chilean blue whales. For each of the three measurements and for both sexes, Antarctic blue whales had the largest averages, pygmy blue whales the smallest, and Chilean blue whales were intermediate (Figure 2). Also for each of the three measurements and for both sexes there were significant differences among Antarctic, pygmy, and Chilean blue whales (Kruskal‐Wallis, p < .0001)”.

Table 2. Summary of the statistics of total length (meters), snout‐eye length (meters) and fluke‐anus length (meters) for Chilean, Antarctic (Mackintosh & Wheeler, 1929), and pygmy (Ichihara, 1966) blue whales (L50), by sex (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020).

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

13

Total length

n

Chilean

Female

Mean ± SD

37

22.64 ±

Snout‐eye length

Median

22.5

0.92

Male

21

22.10 ±

21.9

0.61

Total

58

22.45 ±

22.3

0.86

Antarctic

Female

182

25.59 ±

25.7

1.03

Male

165

24.28 ±

24.4

0.88

Total

347

24.97 ±

25.0

1.16

Pygmy

Female

37

21.85 ±

21.8

0.76

Male

16

21.02 ±

21.2

1.19

Total

53

21.60 ± 0.98

21.6

Range

Mean ± SD

21.3–

4.47 ±

24.9

0.38

21.2–

4.49 ±

23.4

0.19

21.2–

4.48 ±

24.9

0.32

23.4–

5.39 ±

28.2

0.31

22.6–

5.09 ±

26.5

0.33

22.6–

5.25 ±

28.2

0.35

20.3–

4.49 ±

24.2

0.26

19.3–

4.27 ±

23.1

0.38

19.3–

4.42 ±

24.2

0.31

Median

4.5

4.5

4.5

5.4

5.1

5.3

4.5

4.3

4.4

Fluke‐anus length

Range

Mean ± SD

3.6–

6.64 ±

5.1

0.52

4.2–

6.37 ±

4.8

0.58

3.6–

6.55 ±

5.1

0.55

4.6–

7.27 ±

6.3

0.38

3.5–

6.86 ±

6.0

0.34

3.5–

7.08 ±

6.3

0.42

4.1–

5.75 ±

5.2

0.39

3.7–

5.49 ±

5.3

0.33

3.7–

5.67 ±

5.3

0.39

Median

6.7

Range

5.3– 7.8

6.2

5.6– 8.0

6.4

5.3– 8.0

7.3

5.8– 8.3

6.9

5.8– 7.7

7.1

5.8– 8.3

5.7

5.1– 6.5

5.4

5.1– 6.3

5.6

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

5.1– 6.5

14

Figure 2. Average of measurements of total length (meters), snout‐eye length (meters), and fluke‐anus length (meters) (with 95% confidence interval and ranges) for Chilean (this study), Antarctic (Mackintosh & Wheeler, 1929), and pygmy (Ichihara, 1966; Omura, 1984) blue whales above L50, by sex (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020).

Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) continue: “In pairwise comparisons the differences were attributed largely to Antarctic blue whales, which were statistically different from the pygmy and Chilean blue whales for the three measurements (Dunn post hoc test p < .0001). For both sexes combined the average differences between Antarctic and Chilean blue whales were 10.1%, 14.7%, and 7.5% for total length, snout‐eye length, and fluke‐anus length, respectively. The average differences between Antarctic and pygmy blue whales were 13.5%, 15.8%, and 19.9% for those measurements, respectively.

The Dunn post hoc test failed to find differences between Chilean and pygmy blue whales in total length (p = .304 for females; p = .824 for males) and snout‐eye length (pfemale and male = .999). However, there were significant differences in the fluke‐anus length (p = .001 for females, p = .024 for males). Compared to pygmy blue whales, Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

15

Chilean blue whale females had 13.4% longer fluke‐anus length (mean for Chilean blue whales: 6.64 m; mean for pygmy blue whale: 5.75 m), and males had 13.8% longer fluke‐anus length (mean for Chilean blue whales: 6.37 m; mean for pygmy blue whale: 5.49 m).

As a sensitivity test to check whether the differing lengths at sexual maturity for each population may have influenced these results, we repeated these analyses using an identical cutoff of 21.9 m for all populations. The results were similar: total length was longer for Antarctic blue whales, then Chilean blue whales, and shortest for pygmy blue whales; snout‐eye length was similar between Chilean and pygmy blue whales; and fluke‐anus length was different among Antarctic, Chilean, and pygmy blue whales”.

Analysis for all whales Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) continue: “For the snout‐eye lengths, there are no clear differences between Chilean and pygmy blue whales regarding the measurements in the Antarctic blue whales. However, for fluke‐anus length, the pygmy blue whales are substantially shorter than Antarctic blue whale values while Chilean blue whales are mostly within the same range of Antarctic blue whale values. These differences are also seen in the relationship between snout‐eye:total length and fluke‐anus:total length for Antarctic, pygmy and Chilean blue whales, that summarizes the data spread out, and shows the clear differentiation of the three groups”.

Allometric models The best fitting models for fluke‐anus measurements (Tables 3, 4) are for the model where Antarctic and Chilean blue whales are the same, although there is also support (AICc weight = 0.16) for all populations being different. There was no support for models where pygmy blue whales were similar to Antarctic blue whales or to Chilean blue whales (ΔAICc > 125 units; Table 4) (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020).

Table 3. Estimates of model parameters from the allometric model Y = aLb relating snout‐to‐eye to total length, and fluke‐to‐anus length to total length. The column labeled σ is the model estimate of standard deviation which is assumed to be the same for all populations. “All same” means that the same values of a and b were used for all three populations; “All different” indicates that different a and b parameters were estimated for each population (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020).

Data type

Snout‐to‐ey e

Model

All same

aChi

aAntarc

aPyg

bChi

bAntarc

bPyg

le

tic

my

le

tic

my

0.07 5

0.075

0.07 5

1.31 9

1.319

1.31 9

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

σ

0.23 0

16

Data type

Fluke‐to‐an us

Model

aChi

aAntarc

aPyg

bChi

bAntarc

bPyg

le

tic

my

le

tic

my

σ

All differe nt

0.202

0.073

0.215

0.996

1.330

0.984

0.226

Pygmy Chile same

0.287

0.072

0.287

0.886

1.330

0.886

0.227

Pygmy Antarct ic same

0.214

0.075

0.075

0.978

1.320

1.320

0.229

Antarct ic Chile same

0.073

0.073

0.211

1.329

1.329

0.990

0.227

All same

0.58 4

0.584

0.58 4

0.77 5

0.775

0.77 5

0.34 0

All differe nt

0.863

0.620

0.459

0.652

0.758

0.819

0.296

Pygmy Chile same

0.154

0.620

0.154

1.192

0.758

1.192

0.318

Pygmy Antarct ic same

0.967

0.582

0.582

0.615

0.776

0.776

0.340

Antarct ic Chile same

0.622

0.622

0.477

0.757

0.757

0.806

0.296

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

17

Table 4. Negative log likelihood (−lnL), AICc comparisons (ΔAICc), and AICc weight for the allometric models fit to the relation between each data type and total length (m) (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020).

Data type

Model

Snout‐to‐eye

All same

Fluke‐to‐anu s

n parameter s

n whale s

3

872

−lnL

−845.1 2

ΔAIC c

AICc weigh t

21.62

0.00

All different

7

872

−859.98

0.00

0.68

Pygmy Chile same

5

872

−857.04

1.82

0.27

Pygmy Antarcti c same

5

872

−850.34

15.22

0.00

Antarcti c Chile same

5

872

−855.17

5.57

0.04

All same

3

872

−504.0 6

239.20

0.00

All different

7

872

−626.08

3.26

0.16

Pygmy Chile same

5

872

−563.09

125.17

0.00

Pygmy

5

872

−505.08

241.20

0.00

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

18

Data type

n parameter s

Model

n whale s

−lnL

ΔAIC c

AICc weigh t

Antarcti c same Antarcti c Chile same

5

872

−625.68

0.00

0.84

For snout‐eye length, the best model is the one where all three populations are different, but there is also substantial support for Chilean and pygmy blue whales are being the same (AICc weight of 0.27) and a small amount of support for Antarctic and Chilean blue whales being the same (AIC weight of 0.04). There was no support for all three populations being the same (ΔAICc = 21.62), or for pygmy and Antarctic blue whales being the same (ΔAICc = 15.22) (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020).

Blue whale fluke in Chilean waters. © Dr. Francisco Viddi, WWF Chile. https://wwf.panda.org/?216893/Blue-whale-conservation-gets-a-boost

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

19

Random forest analysis All four variables resulted in significant improvements to model performance. The most important variable was fluke‐to‐anus divided by total length, while sex was the least important. Individual pygmy blue whales were much more likely to be correctly classified (79%) than Antarctic (57%), or Chilean (53%) blue whales (Table 5). Where Chilean blue whales were misclassified, they were more likely to be classified with Antarctic blue whales (30%) than pygmy blue whales (17%); similarly, Antarctic blue whales were more likely to be misclassified as Chilean blue whales (29%) than pygmy blue whales (14%) (Table 5). These results supplement the allometric models showing that pygmy blue whales are distinct from both Antarctic and Chilean blue whales, especially so for fluke‐to‐anus measurements, and that Chilean blue whales are more similar to Antarctic blue whales (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020).

Table 5. Confusion matrix from the random forest analysis, showing the proportion of whales from each region that were classified as Antarctic, Chilean, or pygmy, and the overall proportion of whales from each region that were correctly classified (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020).

Region classified to Actual region

Antarctic

Chile

Pygmy

n

Correctly classified

Antarctic

56.7%

29.0%

14.3%

755

56.7%

Chile

30.0%

53.3%

16.7%

60

53.3%

Pygmy

12.3%

8.8%

78.9%

57

78.9%

Discussion Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) wrote: “Results of this study provide strong evidence that recorded body lengths differ among Antarctic, pygmy, and Chilean blue whales, with values for Chilean blue whales being intermediate between those for pygmy and Antarctic blue whales. The analysis for mature whales provided evidence from total length, snout‐eye and fluke‐anus measurements that Antarctic blue whales are different from pygmy and Chilean blue whales. The analysis for mature whales also provided evidence from the fluke‐anus measurements that Chilean blue whales are different from pygmy blue whales. Similarly, the allometric models provided very Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

20

strong support from the fluke‐anus measurements that Chilean blue whales are different from pygmy blue whales, and provided moderate evidence from snout‐to‐eye measurements that Chilean blue whales are different from Antarctic blue whales. These results are supported by the random forest analyses which show that fluke‐to‐anus divided by total length was the most important variable, that pygmy blue whales are more easily distinguishable, and that Chilean and Antarctic blue whales are somewhat similar in the morphometric measurements examined here. However, it should be noted that individuals from each region could not be classified to their own region with a high degree of certainty: only 57% of Antarctic blue whales, 53% of Chilean blue whales, and 79% of pygmy blue whales were classified correctly to their region of origin”.

Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) continue: “In summary, this study confirmed strong morphometric differentiation between pygmy and Antarctic blue whales as was pointed out previously by Ichihara (1966) and Omura (1984). It also revealed strong morphometric differences between pygmy and Chilean blue whales, and moderate morphometric differences between Chilean and Antarctic blue whales, supporting the view that Chilean blue whales should not be referred to as pygmy blue whales”.

Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) added: “The validity of the conclusions above depends on one hand on the quality of the data examined, and on the other hand, on the consistency in the way the measurements were taken from whales in different geographical regions. On the first point, it should be noted that the morphometric data in Chile were not part of routine catch data obtained by whalers but they were obtained under a special biological survey, by trained personnel of the company, under the supervision of a scientist, and therefore the data obtained can be considered of good quality. As explained earlier, there is no evidence for whale stretching in the 60 whales examined in the biological survey. In addition, measurements taken in Chile by a Japanese whaling company should be comparable to the pygmy blue whale measurements also made by Japanese whalers (IWC, 2018)”.

Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) continue: “The pattern of body length variation between populations is similar to the pattern found by Branch et al. (2007) for the mean body length of sexually mature females. They concluded that Chilean blue whales were intermediate in size between pygmy and Antarctic blue whales. In the context of the taxonomy of southern blue whales, the question now is whether this information is sufficient to support the view that Chilean blue whales should be considered a distinct subspecies (Branch et al., 2007). A supporting point for the subspecies differentiation is that the fluke‐to‐anus measurement was one of the critical pieces of evidence used by Ichihara (1966) to demonstrate that pygmy blue whales are a different subspecies from Antarctic blue whales. The subspecific name brevicauda reflects this difference.

Furthermore, he used the same data from Mackintosh and Wheeler (1929) for Antarctic blue whales that was used in this study. If the fluke‐to‐anus data were considered relevant in the separation between Antarctic and pygmy blue whales, then the Chilean Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

21

blue whales should not be considered the same subspecies as Indian Ocean pygmy blue whales. On the other hand, fluke‐to‐anus measurements for Chilean and Antarctic blue whales were relatively similar, unlike the marked differences seen in the Chilean‐pygmy and Antarctic‐pygmy comparisons”.

Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) added: “The pattern of morphometric differences in southern blue whales, summarized above, is consistent with the pattern found in genetic analyses based on both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA markers: genetic differentiation between the nominal subspecies Antarctic and pygmy blue whales is similar to that between Chilean and pygmy blue whales (LeDuc et al., 2007; LeDuc et al., 2017). However, the phylogenetic analysis of mtDNA sequences in those studies suggested that Antarctic, Indian Ocean pygmy, and Chilean blue whales are not characterized by complete monophyly and therefore the subspecies classification is not consistent with the phylogenetic concept of ESUs sensu Moritz (1994). For example, one haplotype was shared among Antarctic, pygmy, and Chilean blue whales; two haplotypes were shared between Antarctic and pygmy blue whales; and one haplotype was shared between Antarctic and Pacific Ocean blue whales (see fig. 1 of LeDuc et al., 2007). This sharing of haplotypes could be either the result of current migration or incomplete lineage sorting. The latter explanation is more likely given the substantial morphometric differences reported among Antarctic, pygmy, and Chilean blue whales (this study and Branch et al., 2007)”.

Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) continue: “LeDuc et al. (2017) discussed several issues related to the proposal of subspecies status for the Chilean blue whales including (1) importance of the information on the geographical range of the putative subspecies, (2) importance of the information on breeding range of the putative subspecies, (3) inconsistency in length data for the designation of subspecies, and (4) importance of the correlation between morphological and genetic data for the designation of a subspecies.

Regarding geographical range (“1” above), the current genetic data suggest that Chilean blue whales and ETP whales are from the same population for samples south of the Equator off Peru and Ecuador, but are genetically distinct from northeastern Pacific blue whales north of 6°N (LeDuc et al., 2017). This supports the suggestion of Branch et al. (2007) that the range of the proposed Chilean blue whale subspecies seasonally includes the waters of Peru and Ecuador. These links are further confirmed by satellite tag data (Hucke‐Gaete et al., 2018), genetic mark‐recaptures, photo‐id mark‐recaptures (Torres‐Florez et al., 2015), and acoustic data (Buchan, Hucke‐Gaete, Rendell, & Stafford, 2014) showing migrations from Chile to the Galapagos and ETP. While further research is required to elucidate the relationship between Chilean blue whales and blue whales in the northeastern Pacific (e.g., morphometric data presented in Ortega‐Ortiz, Gómez‐Muñoz, & Gendron, 2018), there is little doubt that blue whales summering in Chilean waters are geographically separate from Indian Ocean pygmy blue whales”.

LeDuc et al. (2017) noted that “the breeding range of a subspecies is an integral part of its very definition, and if that range is incompletely known then the delimitation of Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

22

even valid subspecies is incomplete” (“2” above). In this case, the combination of genetic differentiation reported here, satellite tag data (Hucke‐Gaete et al., 2018), genetic and photo‐id mark‐recaptures (Torres‐Florez et al., 2015), and acoustic data (Buchan et al., 2014) of Chilean blue whales, together with compilations of catches and sightings that are separated from both Antarctic blue whales to the south, northeastern Pacific blue whales to the north, and other pygmy blue whale populations (Branch et al., 2007) together serves to clearly define this population as occurring in waters from the equator in the ETP to the Galapagos, Peru, and Chile. This encompasses their feeding and breeding area given the time periods covered by the satellite tag data (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch, 2019/2020).

Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) continue: “One of the uncertainties discussed

by LeDuc et al. (2017) is the apparent discrepancy in body length data between catches and aerial images surveys (“3” above). Specifically, they noted that aerial images (Gilpatrick & Perryman, 2008; Durban et al., 2016) suggested that blue whales from California waters, north and southern sections of the ETP, and Chile had estimated body lengths nearly identical to those of pygmy blue whales in the Indian Ocean, although the sample size is low in Durban et al. (2016). The result from the aerial images is not consistent with the results of Branch et al. (2007) and from the present study (both based on catch data), which concluded that Chilean blue whales are significantly longer than pygmy blue whales in the Indian Ocean. LeDuc et al. (2017) provided several possible explanations for this discrepancy with the results of Branch et al. (2007).

However, it should be noted that the two blue whales accompanied by calves in Durban et al. (2016), and thus confirmed as sexually mature females, were estimated from the hexacopter images to be 22.2 m and 22.7 m in total length. Among sexually mature female blue whales, the data in Branch et al. (2007) reveals that only 3.5% of pygmy blue whales were longer than 22.7 m, and that only 0.7% of Antarctic blue whales were shorter than 22.2 m, but these lengths are more similar to the range observed for Chilean blue whales (7.1% shorter than 22.2 m, 69.0% longer than 22.7 m). When compared to sexually mature females caught in the North Pacific, they are shorter than expected for western and central North Pacific blue whales (mean 24.2 m) but in the range for northeastern Pacific blue whales (mean 23.3 m) (data presented in Figure 14c of Monnahan, Branch, Stafford, Ivashchenko, & Oleson, 2014)”.

Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) added: “Previously, Aguayo (1974) reported on the basis of 168 whales examined, a mixture of Antarctic and “pygmy” blue whales in Chilean catches that are partially overlapped with those used in the present study, but it is difficult to reconcile his conclusions with our findings. Assignments to pygmy and Antarctic blue whales in the 168 whales were based on fluke‐anus lengths following the previous studies by Ichihara (A. Aguayo, personal communication, April 4, 2018). Since our analysis shows statistically significant differences in fluke‐anus length between pygmy and Chilean blue whales, but less so between Chilean and Antarctic blue whales, this may explain the assignment in Aguayo (1974), in a period just after Ichihara Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

23

(1966) had first published about this distinction between Indian Ocean pygmy and Antarctic blue whales. Further consideration should be made once the data referred to in Aguayo (1974) become available. Blue whales involved in the analysis by Branch et al. (2007) as well those in the 1965/1966 biological survey used in the present analysis, were taken in offshore waters in the austral summer season, mainly in January when nearly all Antarctic blue whales are expected to be feeding in Antarctic waters (Kasamatsu, Joyce, Ensor, & Mermoz, 1996). In the current study no blue whale larger than 24.9 m was caught in Chilean offshore waters in 1964/1965 and 1965/1966 (Table 1) suggesting low likelihood of the occurrence of Antarctic blue whales in Chilean offshore waters during December–March when the main whaling operations were conducted. Moreover, Antarctic blue whales had been exploited to very low levels during these years by whaling (Branch, Matsuoka, & Miyashita, 2004). Overall, when looking at sexually mature females, 0% of pygmy catches, 4.2% of southeastern Pacific (Chile + Peru) catches, and 60.1% of Antarctic catches exceed 24.9 m. Notably, among the 71 sexually mature females reported in Branch et al. (2007) in the southeastern Pacific (Chile + Peru), two were longer than 25.6 m (26.2 m and 29.0 m), and these may indeed have been Antarctic blue whales. Blue whale songs also provide evidence for the occasional presence of Antarctic blue whales in Chilean inshore waters (Buchan et al., 2018) in January to March, although 105 times more Chilean blue whale calls are detected in the same area (Buchan, Stafford, & Hucke‐Gaete, 2015). Antarctic blue whale songs have also been recorded, but only in the austral mid‐winter, near the equator off Peru in the northern part of the distribution of Chilean blue whales (Stafford et al., 2004)”.

Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) continue: “Future data collection of body and tail length through drones, and detailed measurements of strandings may shed further light on distinctive features of Chilean blue whales. Notably, Ichihara (1963, 1966) highlighted that the shape of baleen plates from pygmy blue whales is distinct from Antarctic blue whales, which would require a wider skull to accommodate their larger size. Strandings of Chilean blue whales could therefore provide additional morphometric key information about the shape of baleen plates, maximum width of the rostrum, along with total length, sex, maturity status and genetic information”.

Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020) added: “In conclusion, the combination of results from genetic (nuclear and mitochondrial markers), morphometric (mean body length of sexually mature females, maximum body length, and fluke‐anus length), geographic range, and acoustic call types all support the suggestion of Branch et al.

(2007) that the Chilean blue whales should be considered a different subspecies. It should also be recalled that Clarke, Aguayo, and Basulto (1978) had previously suggested that “the Chilean blue whales are an as‐yet undescribed subspecies, distinct from both Antarctic and pygmy blue whales.” It should be emphasized, however, that fluke‐anus length, which was used for separating Antarctic and pygmy blue whales into two different subspecies, was not significantly different between Antarctic and Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

24

Chilean blue whales when analyzing all whales. Taylor et al. (2017) defined subspecies in the following terms: “a subspecies is a population, or collection of populations, that appears to be separately evolving lineage with discontinuities resulting from geography, ecological specialization, or other forces that restrict gene flow to the point that the population or collection of populations is diagnosably distinct.” Following this definition, the genetic differences would be sufficient to accept the Chilean blue whales as a subspecies different from the Antarctic blue whale. Furthermore, along the west coast of South America, Antarctic and Chilean blue whales have a strong segregation during their austral summer feeding grounds, in the same manner that Indian Ocean pygmy blue whales are segregated from Antarctic blue whales during summer months.

Regardless of their taxonomic status, Chilean blue whales are a unique population that requires separate management for their conservation” (Pastene, Acevedo & Branch (2019/2020).

In May 2020, Khalaf-Prinz Sakerfalke von Jaffa gave the distinct Chilean Blue Whale subspecies the scientific name Balaenoptera musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020 (Khalaf, May 2020).

Distribution The Chilean subspecies (B. m. chilensis) is found in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, in particular the Chiloé-Corcovado region (Chile), and lower latitude regions including Peru, the Galapagos Islands and the southern parts of the Eastern Tropical Pacific (Khalaf, May 2020; BioLib, May 2020).

Size The mean length of sexually mature Chilean blue whales is 23.5 meters, which is intermediate in size between pygmy blue whales (B. m. brevicauda) and Antarctic blue whales (B. m. intermedia) (BioLib, May 2020).

Classification Kingdom: Animalia Linnaeus, 1758 Phylum: Chordata Haeckel, 1874 Class: Mammalia Linnaeus, 1758 Order: Artiodactyla Owen, 1848 Infraorder: Cetacea Brisson, 1762 Family: Balaenopteridae Gray 1864 Genus: Balaenoptera Lacépède, 1804 Species: Balaenoptera musculus Linnaeus, 1758 Subspecies: Balaenoptera musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020 (Khalaf, May 2020) & Balaena musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020 (ZooBank, May 2020) .

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

25

Etymology/Derivation of the Scientific Name The Chilean blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020) was named by the Palestinian-German zoologist Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf-Prinz Sakerfalke von Jaffa in May 2020.

The genus name "Balaenoptera" is a combination of two Latin words, "Balaena" (whale) and "pteron" (having a dorsal fin). The specific Latin name "musculus" have two meanings (muscle) and (little mouse). Carl Linnaeus, who named the species in 1758, is thought to have known the dual meaning, and may have used it as a bit of irony. The subspecific Latin name "chilensis" is for (Chile), where this subspecies of blue whale is living (Khalaf, May 2020; BioLib, May 2020).

References and Internet Websites Abdullah, Afkar (28.11.2017). 27-metre dead whale washes ashore on Khor Fakkan beach. Khaleej Times. https://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/sharjah/27-metre-deadwhale-washes-ashore-on-khor-fakkan-beachAbramson J, Gibbons J. (2010). New records of blue whales Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus, 1758) in winter season in the inlet waters of Chiloe continental–Chile. Anales del Institutio de la Patagonia. 2010;38(2):107–9.

Aguayo LA. (1974). Baleen whales off Continental Chile. In: Schevill WE, editor. The Whale Problem: A status report. Cambridge, MA.: Harvard University Press; 1974. p.

209–17.

Ali, Aghaddir (27.11.2017). 16m-long whale carcass found off Khor Fakkan. Gulf News. http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/emergencies/16m-long-whale-carcass-found-offkhor-fakkan-1.2131406 Ali, Aghaddir (27.11.2017). 16m-long whale carcass found off Khor Fakkan coast. Gulf News. http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/environment/16-metre-long-whale-carcassfound-off-khor-fakkan-coast-1.2131588 Al-Robaae, K. (1974). Tursiops aduncus Bottlenosed dolphin: a new record for Arab Gulf; with notes on Cetacea of the region. Bull. Basrah Nat. Hist. Mus. 1(1): 7-16.

Animal Records. Smithsonian National Zoological Park. Retrieved 29 May 2007.

Anderson, R. C., Branch, T. A., Alagiyawadu, A., Baldwin, R., & Marsac, F. (2012).

Seasonal distribution, movements and taxonomic status of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) in the northern Indian Ocean. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management, 12, 203– 218.

Andriolo A, Martins CCA, Engel MH, Pizzorno JL, Mas-Rosa S, Freitas AC, et al. (2006).

The first aerial survey to estimate abundance of humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the breeding ground off Brazil (Breeding Stock A). J Cetacean Res Manage. 2006;8(3):307–11.

Anonymous. (1970). Interim report of pygmy blue whales taken under special permit.

Geiken Tsushin, 226, 1– 4 in Japanese.

Archer, E. (2019). Package rfPermute: Estimate permutation p‐values for random forest Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

26

importance metrics. Retrieved from: https://cran.rproject.org/web/packages/rfPermute/index.html Archer, F. I., Martien, K. K., & Taylor, B. L. (2017). Diagnosability of mtDNA with Random Forests: Using sequence data to delimit subspecies. Marine Mammal Science, 33 (Special Issue), 101– 131.

Arnason, U. and A. Gullberg (1993). Comparison between the complete mtDNA sequences of the blue and fin whale, two species that can hybridize in nature. Journal of Molecular Ecology 37 (4): 312–322.

Arnason, U., Gullberg A. & Widegren, B. (1 September 1993). Cetacean mitochondrial DNA control region: sequences of all extant baleen whales and two sperm whale species. Molecular Biology and Evolution 10 (5): 960–970.

Assessment and Update Status Report on the Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus (PDF).

Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. 2002.

Attard CRM, Beheregaray LB, Jenner KCS, Gill PC, Jenner MNM, Morrice MG, et al.

(2015). Low genetic diversity in pygmy blue whales is due to climate-induced diversification rather than anthropogenic impacts. Biol Lett. 2015;11.

Attard C.R., L.B. Beheregaray, & L.M. Möller (2016).Towards population-level conservation in the critically endangered Antarctic blue whale: the number and distribution of their populations. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26951747 Bailey H, Mate BR, Palacios DM, Irvine L, Bograd SJ, Costa DP. (2009). Behavioural estimation of blue whale movements in the Northeast Pacific from state-space model analysis of satellite tracks. Endangered Species Research. 2009;10:93–106.

Baker CS, Steel D, Calambokidis J, Falcone E, González-Peral U, Barlow J, et al. (2013).

Strong maternal fidelity and natal philopatry shape genetic structure in North Pacific humpback whales. Mar Ecol Prog Ser. 2013;494:291–306.

Balcazar, N. E., Klinck, H., Nieukirk, S. L., Mellinger, D. K., Klinck, K., Dziak, R. P., & Rogers, T. L. (2017). Using calls as an indicator for Antarctic blue whale occurrence and distribution across the southwest Pacific and southeast Indian Oceans. Marine Mammal Science, 33, 172– 186.

Baldwin, Robert (1995). Whales and Dolphins of the United Arab Emirates. Published

by Robert Baldwin, 1995, ISBN 13: 9780952660507.

Baldwin R (1998). Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) of the Sultanate of Oman.

Document SC/50/CAWS21, Scientific Committee, International Whaling Commission.

Baldwin, Robert (2003). Whales and Dolphins of Arabia. Mazoon Printing Press, Muttrah, Sultanate of Oman. 111pp.

Baldwin, Robert (2003). Whales and Dolphins of Arabia. Park House England, 2003, 111 pages. ISBN: 0952660504.

Baldwin RM, Gallagher M, Van Waerebeek K. (1999). A Review of Cetaceans from waters off the Arabian Peninsula. Pp. 161-189. In: M. Fisher, S.A. Ghazanfar and J.A. Spalton (eds). The Natural History of Oman: A Festschrift for Michael Gallagher.

Backhuys Publishers, Leiden. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.20397.28645 Baldwin RM, Salm R. (1994). Whales and Dolphins along the coast of Oman. 65pp.

Muscat printing Press, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

27

Barlow, Dawn; Leigh G. Torres, Kristin Hodge, Debbie Steel (2018). Documentation of a New Zealand blue whale population based on multiple lines of evidence. Endangered Species Research, 36, January 2018. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324353411_Documentation_of_a_New_Zea land_blue_whale_population_based_on_multiple_lines_of_evidence Barnes, L.G., McLeod, S.A. (1984). The fossil record and phyletic relationships of gray whales. In Jones M.L. et al. The Gray Whale. Orlando, Florida: Academic Press. pp. 3– 32. ISBN 0-12-389180-9.

Best, P.B. (1993). Increase rates in severely depleted stocks of baleen whales. ICES J. Mar Sci. 50 (2): 169–186.

Best, P.B. et al. (2003). The abundance of blue whales on the Madagascar Plateau, December 1996. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management (IWC) 5 (3): 253–260.

BioLib (May 2020). Taxon Profile: Subspecies Balaenoptera musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020. https://www.biolib.cz/en/adtaxon/id457998/ Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus): Eastern North Pacific Stock (NOAA Stock Reports, 2009), p. 178.

Blue Whales Spotted In Unusually Large Numbers Off Southern California Shore. The Huffington Post. 21 September 2010.

Bortolotti, Dan (2008). Wild Blue: A Natural History of the World’s Largest Animal. St. Martin's Press.

Branch, T.A. (2007). Abundance of Antarctic blue whales south of 60°S from three complete circumpolar sets of surveys. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 9 (3): 87–96.

Branch, T.A.; Abubaker, E. M. N.; Mkango, S.; Butterworth, D. S. (2007). Separating southern blue whale subspecies based on length frequencies of sexually mature females. Marine Mammal Science 23 (4): 803–833.

Branch, T.A., K. Matsuoka and T. Miyashita (2004). Evidence for increases in Antarctic blue whales based on Bayesian modelling. Marine Mammal Science 20 (4): 726–754.

Branch, T.A. and Y. A. Mikhalev (July 2008). Regional differences in length at sexual maturity for female blue whales based on recovered Soviet whaling data. Marine Mammal Science. Volume 24, Issue 3, July 2008, Pages 690-703. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2008.00214.x Branch, T. A., Mikhalev, Y. A., & Kato, H. (2009). Separating pygmy and Antarctic blue whales using long‐forgotten ovarian data. Marine Mammal Science, 25, 833– 854.

Branch, T. A., K. M. Stafford, D. M. Palacios (2007). Past and present distribution, densities and movements of blue whales Balaenoptera musculus in the Southern Hemisphere and northern Indian Ocean. Mammal Review 37 (2): 116–175.

Brownell Jr RL, Cabrera E, Galletti Vernazzani B. (2014). Dead blue whale in Puerto Montt, Chile: Another case of ship collision mortality. Paper SC/65b/HIM08 presented to the IWC Scientific Committee, May 2014 (unpublished) 9pp [Available from www.iwc.int] 2014.

Buchan, S. J., Hucke‐Gaete, R., Rendell, L., & Stafford, K. M. (2014). A new song recorded from blue whales in the Corcovado Gulf, Southern Chile, and an acoustic link Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

28

to the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Endangered Species Research, 23, 241– 252.

Buchan, S. J., Hucke‐Gaete, R., Stafford, K. M., & Clark, C. W. (2018). Occasional acoustic presence of Antarctic blue whales on a feeding ground in southern Chile.

Marine Mammal Science, 34, 220– 228.

Buchan, S. J., Stafford, K. M., & Hucke‐Gaete, R. (2015). Seasonal occurrence of southeast Pacific blue whale songs in southern Chile and the eastern tropical Pacific.

Marine Mammal Science, 31, 440– 458.

Cabrera E, Carlson C, Galletti Vernazzani B. (2005). Presence of blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) in the northwestern coast of Chiloé Island, Southern Chile. Latin Am J Aquat Mammals. 2005;4(1):73–4.

Cabrera E, Carlson C, Galletti Vernazzani B, Brownell Jnr RL. (2006). Preliminary report on the photo-identification of blue whales off Isla de Chiloé, Chile from 2004 to 2006.

Paper SC/58/SH18 presented to the IWC Scientific Committee, May 2006 (unpublished) 5pp [Available from www.iwc.int] 2006.

Calambokidis J, Barlow J. (2004). Abundance of blue and humpback whales in the eastern North Pacific estimated by capture-recapture and line-transect methods. Mar Mamm Sci. 2004;20(1):63–85.

Calambokidis J, Barlow J, Ford JKB, Chandler TE, Douglas AB. (2009). Insights into the population structure of blue whales in the Eastern North Pacific from recent sightings and photographic identification. Mar Mamm Sci. 2009;25(4):816–32.

Calambokidis, J. and G. Steiger (1998). Blue Whales.Voyageur Press. ISBN 0-89658-3384.

Calambokidis J., G. H. Steiger, J. C. Cubbage, K. C. Balcomb, C. Ewald, S. Kruse, R. Wells and R. Sears (1990). Sightings and movements of blue whales off central California from 1986–88 from photo-identification of individuals. Rep. Whal. Comm. 12: 343–348.

Capelotti, P.J. (ed.), Quentin R. Walsh. (2010). The Whaling Expedition of the Ulysses, 1937–38, p. 28.

Caspar, Dave (April 2001). Ms. Blue's Measurements (PDF). Seymour Center, University of California, Santa Cruz. Chapter 10: Whales and Whaling. www.soest.hawaii.edu/oceanography/courses_html/.../CHAPTER10.doc Christensen, I., Haug, T., Øien, N. (1992). A review of feeding and reproduction in large baleen whales (Mysticeti) and sperm whales Physeter macrocephalus in Norwegian and adjacent waters. Fauna Norvegica Series a 13: 39–48.

Clarke, Arthur C. (1962). Profiles of the Future; an Inquiry into the Limits of the Possible. New York: Harper & Row, 1962.

Clarke R. (1962). Whale observation and whale marking off the coast of Chile in 1958 and from Ecuador towards and beyond the Galapagos Islands in 1959. Norsk Hvalfangst-Tidende. 1962;51:265–87.

Clarke, C., Aguayo, A., & Basulto, S. (1978). Whale observation and whale marking off the coast of Chile in 1964. Scientific Reports of the Whale Research Institute, Tokyo, 30, 117– 177.

Coghlan, Andy (2009). Migrating blue whales rediscover 'forgotten' waters. New Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

29

Scientist, May 2009.

Committee on Taxonomy (2016). List of marine mammal species and subspecies.

Society for Marine Mammalogy. www.marinemammalscience.org. consulted on 19th March 2016.

Constantine R, Jackson JA, Steel D, Baker CS, Brooks L, Burns D, et al. (2012).

Abundance of humpback whales in Oceania using photo-identification and microsatellite genotyping. Mar Ecol Prog Ser. 2012;453:249–61.

Cousteau, Jacques Yves (1972). The Whale: Mighty Monarch of the Sea (The Undersea Discoveries of Jacques-Yves Cousteau). Hardcover, 304 pages. Doubleday & Company, Inc. ISBN 0304290335.

Cousteau, Jacques Yves & Yves Paccalet (1988). Jacques Cousteau Whales. Published

by Irwin Professional Publishing. 280p. ISBN 978-0-8109-1046-1.

Cummings WC, Thompson PD. (1971). Bioacoustics of marine mammals: R/V Hero Cruise 70–3. Antarctic Journal. 1971;X:158–60.

Cummings, W.C. and P.O. Thompson (1971). Underwater sounds from the blue whale Balaenoptera musculus. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 50 (4): 1193– 1198.

De Vos A. (2016). 27 years: the longest longevity and residency record for northern Indian Ocean blue whales. Taprobanica. 2016;8:21–3.

Donovan GP. (1984). Blue whales off Peru, December 1982, with special reference to pygmy blue whales. Rep Int Whal Comm. 1984;34:473–6.

Durban, J. W., Moore, M. J., Chiang, G., Hickmott, L. S., Bocconcelli, A., Howes, G., …

LeRoi, D. J. (2016). Photogrammetry of blue whales with an unmanned hexacopter.

Marine Mammal Science, 32, 1510– 1515.

Edmaktub. The Fin Whale Project. www.edmaktub.com/eng/finwhaleproject/ Erlichman, Erez (30.05.2018). WATCH: First blue whale sighting documented in Eilat. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5274780,00.html Evans, Peter G. H. (1987). The Natural History of Whales and Dolphins. Christopher Helm, Ltd, Kent, 1987, 343 pp.

Findlay K, Pitman R, Tsurui T, Sakai K, Ensor P, Iwakami H, et al. (1997/1998). IWCSouthern Ocean Whale and Ecosystem Research (IWC-SOWER) blue whale cruise, Chile. Paper SC/50/Rep2 presented to the IWC Scientific Committee, May 1998 (unpublished) 40pp [Available from www.iwc.int] 1998.

Försterra G, Häussermann V. (2012). Report on blue whales sightings (Balaenoptera musculus, Linnaeus, 1758) in a narrow fjord during autumn-winter in southern Chile (Mammalia, Cetacea, Balaenopteridae). Spixiana. 2012;35(2):237–45.

Frequently Asked Questions (17 February 2016). Save Japan Dolphins Campaign.

International Marine Mammal Project. Retrieved 29 November 2016.

Gambell, R (1979). The blue whale. Biologist 26: 209–215.

Friday NA, Smith TD, Stevick PT, Allen J. (2000). Measurement of photographic quality and individual distinctiveness for the photographic identification of humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae. Mar Mamm Sci. 2000;16:355–74.

Gilmore RM. (1971). Observations on marine mammals and birds off the coast of Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

30

southern and central Chile, early winter 1970. Antarctic Journal. 1971;X:10–1.

Gilpatrick, James W., and Wayne L. Perryman (2008). Geographic variation in external morphology of North Pacific and Southern Hemisphere blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus). Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 10 (1): 9–21.

Goldbogen, J. A., J. Calambokidis, E. Oleson, J. Potvin, N. D. Pyenson, G. Schorr and R. E. Shadwick (2011). Mechanics, hydrodynamics and energetics of blue whale lunge feeding: efficiency dependence on krill density. Journal of Experimental Biology 214, 131-146.

Hamilton, T. A., Redfern, J. V., Barlow, J., Ballance, L. T., Gerrodette, T., Holt, R. S., …

Taylor, B. L. (2009). Atlas of cetacean sightings for Southwest Fisheries Science Center cetacean and ecosystem surveys: 1986–2005. U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS NOAA‐TM‐NMFS‐SWFSC‐440. 70 pp.

Hammond PS. (1986). Estimating the size of naturally marked whale populations using capture-recapture techniques. Report of the International Whaling Commission (Special Issue). 1986;8:252–82.

Haza, Ruba (27.11.2017). Watch: Dead whale washes up at Khor Fakkan port. https://www.thenational.ae/uae/environment/watch-dead-whale-washes-up-atkhor-fakkan-port-1.679174.

Hidehiro Kato, Ph. D. (National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries) (1994). Biology of Blue Whales. from "ISANA" No. 10, 1994. http://luna.pos.to/whale/jwa_v10_kato.html Hjort, J. and Ruud, J.T. (1929). Whaling and fishing in the North Atlantic. Rapp. Proc.

Verb. Conseil int. Explor.Mer 56.

Hucke-Gaete R. (2004). Distribución, preferencia de hábitat y dinámica espacial de la ballena azul en Chile: 1997–2009. PhD Universidad Austral de Chile. 2004.

Hucke‐Gaete, R., Bedriñana‐Romano, L., Viddi, F. A., Ruiz, J. E., Torres‐Florez, J. P., & Zerbini, A. N. (2018). From Chilean Patagonia to Galapagos, Ecuador: Novel insights on blue whale migratory pathways along the Eastern South Pacific. PeerJ, 6, e4695.

Hucke-Gaete, R.; B. Carstens, A. Ruiz-Tagle y M. Bello (22 March 2009). Blue Whales in Chile: The Giants of Marine Conservation (PDF). Rufford Small Grants Foundation.

Hucke-Gaete R, Osman LP, Moreno CA, Findlay KP, Ljungblad DK. (2004). Discovery of a blue whale feeding and nursing ground in southern Chile. Proc R Soc B. 2004;271:S170–3. pmid:15252974.

Ichihara, T. (1961). Blue whales in the waters around Kerguelen Islands.

Hvalfangst‐Tidende, 50, 1– 20.

Ichihara, T. (1963). Identification of the pygmy blue whale in the Antarctic.

Hvalfangst‐Tidende, 52, 128– 130.

Ichihara, T. (1966). The pygmy blue whale B. m. brevicauda, a new subspecies from the Antarctic in: Whales, dolphins and porpoises. Page(s) 79–113. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

International Dolphin & Whale Stranding Network. https://www.facebook.com/IntlStrandingNetwork?ref=stream&hc_location=timeline International Whaling Commission. Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus.

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

31

https://iwc.int/blue-whale IWC (International Whaling Commission). (2018). Annex H. Report of the sub‐committee on other Southern Hemisphere whale stocks. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management, 19, 193– 221.

Jenner C, Jenner MN, Burton C, Sturrock V, Salgado Kent C, Morrice M, et al. (2008).

Mark recapture analysis of pygmy blue whales from the Perth Canyon, Western Australia 2000–2005. Paper SC/60/SH16 presented to the IWC Scientific Committee, May 2008 (unpublished) 9pp [Available from www.iwc.int] 2008.

Jongbloed, Marijcke (2004). Whales and Dolphins in the Gulf. http://www.alshindagah.com/janfeb2004/whales.html Kasamatsu, F., Joyce, G. G., Ensor, P., & Mermoz, J. (1996). Current occurrence of baleen whales in Antarctic waters. Report of the International Whaling Commission, 46, 293– 304. Kato, H., Miyashita, T., & Shimada, H. (1995). Segregation of the two sub‐species of the blue whale in the Southern Hemisphere. Report of the International Whaling Commission, 45, 273– 283.

Kawamura, A. (1980). A review of food of balaenopterid whales. Scientific Reports of the Whales Research Institute 32: 155–197.

Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1980). Tabie’t Al-Talawon fi Al-Haywanat (The Colouration of Animals). Al-Biology Bulletin. Number 1. January 1980, Safar 1401.

Biological Society, Kuwait University, State of Kuwait. pp. 4-5. (in Arabic).

Khalaf, Norman (1982). A’maar Al-Haywanat (Animal Ages). Al-Biology Bulletin.

Number 18, Third Year, First Semester, Saturday 6.11.1982. Biological Society, Kuwait University, State of Kuwait. pp. 7. (in Arabic).

Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1987). Blue Whales (Balaenoptera musculus) from the State of Kuwait, Arabian Gulf. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. RilchingenHanweiler, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 14, Fifth Year, Shawal 1407 AH, June 1987 AD. pp. 1-14.

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1992). The Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) in the Zoologisches Forschungsinstitut und Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, Germany. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 26, Tenth Year, January 1992. pp. 1-3.

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1992). An Introduction to the Animal Life in Palestine. Gazelle. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 30, Tenth Year, October 1992. pp. 1-7. (in Arabic).

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1994). An Introduction to the Animal Life in Palestine. Shqae’q Al-Nouma’n (Anemone coronaria). A Quarterly Magazine Issued by the Program EAI (Education for Awareness and for Involvement). Environmental Education / Children for Nature Protection. In Cooperation with Dept. of General and Higher Education. P.L.O., Palestine. Number 4. Huzairan (June) 1994. pp. 16-21. (in Arabic).

Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (Gründer) (seit Juni 2001). Wale und Delphine Club Yahoo Group. https://de.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Wale_und_Delphine/info Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

32

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2004). Gazelle: Das Palästinensische Biologische Bulletin.

Eine Wissenschaftliche Reise in Palästina, Arabien und Europa zwischen 1983 – 2004 / Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. A Scientific Journey in Palestine, Arabia and Europe between 1983 – 2004. ISBN 3-00-014121-9. Erste Auflage, Juli 2004: 452 Seiten. Zweite erweiterte Auflage, August 2004: 460 Seiten. Publisher: Norman Ali Khalaf, Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Germany. http://dr-norman-ali-khalafbooks.webs.com/& eBook: https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/59405994/book-gazelle-thepalestinian-biological-bulletin-a-scientific-journey-in-palestine-arabia-and-europebetween-1983-2004-by-norman-ali-khalaf-von-jaffa-2004 Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2004). Die Wal Sonderausstellung "Delphinidae Delphionidae" und "Kleinwale in Nord- und Ostsee" im Museum Alexander Koenig in Bonn, Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. BonnBad Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 35, Twenty-second Year, September 2004. pp. 1.

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2004). Der Schweinswal (Phocoena phocoena) in der Nordund Ostsee ... The Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 36, Twenty-second Year, October 2004. pp. 1-7.

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). Thema des Tages (5. Januar 2005): In See gespülter Indopazifischer Buckeldelfin (Sousa chinensis) in Thailand nach Tagen gerettet. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Number 37, Twentythird Year, January 2005. pp. 1-3.

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Story of Prophet Yunus (Jonah) and the Whale. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Number 38, Twenty-third Year, February 2005. pp. 9-13.

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). Jaffa (Yaffa): The History of an Old Palestinian Arab City on the Mediterranean Sea. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Number 39, Twenty-third Year, March 2005. pp. 7-8.

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Andromeda Sea Monster of Jaffa. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Number 39, Twentythird Year, March 2005. pp. 8.

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). Aquatica Arabica. An Aquatic Scientific Journey in Palestine, Arabia and Europe between 1980 - 2005. / Aquatica Arabica. Eine Aquatische Wissenschaftliche Reise in Palaestina, Arabien und Europa zwischen 1980 - 2005. ISBN 3-00-014835-3. Erste Auflage, August 2005: 376 Seiten. Publisher: Norman Ali Khalaf, Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Bundesrepublik Deutschland & Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. http://dr-norman-ali-khalaf-books.webs.com/aquaticaarabica.htm & eBook: https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/59407769/book-aquatica-arabica-anaquatic-scientific-journey-in-palestine-arabia-and-europe-between-1980-2005-bynorman-ali-khalaf-von-jaffa-2005 & eBook: https://joom.ag/nN6L Khalaf, Norman Ali (2005, 2006, 2007). Chapter 3: Geography, Flora and Fauna. Pages 32-39.in: Palestine: A Guide. By Mariam Shahin, Photography by George Azar. CoGazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

33

Author: Norman Ali Khalaf. Northampton, Massachusetts: Interlink Publishing Group, 2005, 2006, 2007. xi + 471 pages. Appendices to page 500. http://ipsnewsite.mysite4now.com/journals.aspx?id=7323&jid=1&href=fulltext Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). A Bryde’s Whale (Balaenoptera edeni) Stranding on Al Mamzar Beach, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 50. February 2006. pp. 1-5. https://de.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Quastenflosser/conversations/messages/ 22 Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). Mammalia Palaestina: The Mammals of Palestine / Die Säugetiere Palästinas. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 55, Twenty-fourth Year, July 2006, Jumada Al-Thania 1427. Pp. 1-46.

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). Mammalia Arabica. Eine Zoologische Reise in Palästina, Arabien und Europa zwischen 1980-2006 / Mammalia Arabica. A Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia and Europe between 1980-2006. ISBN 3-00-017294-7. Erste Auflage (First Edition), Juli 2006, 484 pp. Publisher: Norman Ali Khalaf, RilchingenHanweiler, Deutschland & Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. http://dr-norman-alikhalaf-books.webs.com/mammaliaarabica.htm & eBook (Google Drive): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mjzf_I_b8wTX_BHd1RsuU4ykhJlIKW2/view?usp=sharing Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Felidae Arabica. A Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia and Europe between 1980-2007 / Felidae Arabica. Eine Zoologische Reise in Palästina, Arabien und Europa zwischen 1980-2007.

ISBN 978-3-00-019568-6. Erste Auflage (First Edition), Juli (July) 2007, 300 pp. SelfPublisher: Norman Ali Khalaf, Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Deutschland & Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in Arabic, German and English). Doctoral Dissertation. Ashwood University, USA. Doctor of Science Degree in Zoology (Summa Cumm Laude) on 26.09.2007. http://dr-norman-ali-khalaf-books.webs.com/felidaearabica.htm & Doctoral Dissertation eBook : https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/59397999/doctorate-dissertationfelidae-arabica-by-norman-ali-bassam-khalaf-doctor-of-science-ashwood-universityusa-2007 Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (Gründer) (seit September 2007). Yahoo! Deutschland Group: Fauna Arabica. http://de.groups.yahoo.com/group/Fauna_Arabica/ Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Haywanat Filistin (Fauna of Palestine). In: Wikipedia-Arabic, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 69, September 2007, Sha’ban 1428 AH. pp. 1-4. (Article in Arabic). http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AD%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%A7 %D8%AA_%D9%81%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86 Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008). Cetacea Palaestina: The Whales and Dolphins in Palestinian Waters. Cetacean Species Guide for Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

34

Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 83, November 2008, Thu Al-Qi’ada 1429 AH. pp. 1-14. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. http://cetaceapalaestina.webs.com/& https://de.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Wale_und_Delphine/conversations/mess ages/329 Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2009). Flora and Fauna in Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. ISSN 0178 – 6288.

Number 91, July 2009, Rajab 1430 AH. pp. 1-31. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. http://flora-fauna-palestine.webs.com/ Khalaf-von Jaffa, Dr. Norman Ali Bassam (2009). Fauna Palaestina – Part One. A Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia and Europe between 1983 – 2006 / Fauna Palaestina – Teil Eins. Eine Zoologische Reise in Palästina, Arabien und Europa zwischen 1983 – 2006. ISBN 978-9948-03-865-8. Erste Auflage/First Edition, September 2009: 412 Seiten/Pages. Self Publisher: Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf-von Jaffa, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates & Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Bundesrepublik Deutschland. http://dr-norman-ali-khalaf-books.webs.com/faunapalaestinapart1.htm & eBook: https://www.yumpu.com/xx/document/view/59498633/fauna-palaestina-1-bookby-dr-norman-ali-khalaf-2009 Khalaf-von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2010). Fauna Emiratus - Part One. Zoological Studies in the United Arab Emirates between 2004 - 2009. / Fauna Emiratus – Teil Eins. Zoologische Studien in die Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate zwischen 2004 - 2009. ISBN 978-9948-15-462-4. Erste Auflage/First Edition, November 2010: 350 Seiten / Pages. Self Publisher: Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf-von Jaffa, Dubai and Sharjah, United Arab Emirates & Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Bundesrepublik Deutschland. http://dr-norman-ali-khalaf-books.webs.com/faunaemiratuspart1.htm & eBook: https://www.yumpu.com/xx/document/view/59546804/fauna-emiratuspart-1-zoological-studies-in-the-united-arab-emirates-between-2004-2009-by-drnorman-ali-bassam-khalaf-von-jaffa-2010 Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2012). Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus Lilljeborg, 1861) sighted off the Mediterranean Coast of Palestine.

Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 100, January 2012. pp. 1-6. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. http://de.groups.yahoo.com/group/Fauna_Palaestina/message/90 & http://de.groups.yahoo.com/group/Wale_und_Delphine/message/344 Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (25.05.2012).

Dead Whale floating in the waters of Umm Al Quwain, UAE on 28.12.2007. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLhpJU6a62U Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (25.05.2012).

Dead Whale floating off Umm Al Quwain, UAE on 28.12.2007. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8Fyw69Y6-A Khalaf-von Jaffa, Dr. Norman Ali Bassam (2012). Fauna Palaestina – Part Two. Zoological Studies in Palestine between 1983 – 2009/ Fauna Palaestina – Teil Zwei.

Zoologische Studien in Palästina zwischen 1983 – 2009. ISBN 978-9948-16-667-2. 1.

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

35

Auflage / First Edition : July 2012, Shaaban 1433 H.208 Seiten / Pages (Arabic Part 120 Pages and the English Part 88 Pages). Publisher: Dar Al Jundi Publishing House, Jerusalem, Palestine. http://dr-norman-ali-khalafbooks.webs.com/faunapalaestinapart2.htm & eBook: https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/59602956/fauna-palaestina-part-2book-by-dr-norman-ali-khalaf-von-jaffa-2012 Khalaf-von Jaffa, Dr. Norman Ali Bassam (2013). Fauna Palaestina – Part Three.

Zoological Studies in Palestine between 2005 – 2012/ Fauna Palaestina – Teil Drei.

Zoologische Studien in Palästina zwischen 2005 – 2012. ISBN 978-9950-383-35-7. Erste Auflage / First Edition : July 2013, Shaaban 1434 H.364 Seiten / Pages (English / German Part 350 Pages and the Arabic Part 14 Pages). Publisher: Dar Al Jundi Publishing House, Jerusalem, Palestine. http://dr-norman-ali-khalafbooks.webs.com/faunapalaestinapart3.htm & eBook: https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/62740914/fauna-palaestina-part-3year-2013-by-dr-norman-ali-bassam-khalaf-von-jaffa-isbn-978-9950-383-35-7 Khalaf-von Jaffa, Dr. Norman Ali Bassam (2013). Cetacea Palaestina: The Whales and Dolphins in Palestinian Waters. Cetacean Species Guide for Palestine. In: Fauna Palaestina – Part Three. Zoological Studies in Palestine between 2005 – 2012/ Fauna Palaestina – Teil Drei. Zoologische Studien in Palästina zwischen 2005 – 2012. ISBN 9789950-383-35-7. Erste Auflage / First Edition : July 2013, Shaaban 1434 H. pp. 221-239.

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Dr. Norman Ali Bassam (2013). Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus Lilljeborg, 1861) sighted off the Mediterranean Coast of Palestine. In: Fauna Palaestina – Part Three. Zoological Studies in Palestine between 2005 – 2012/ Fauna Palaestina – Teil Drei. Zoologische Studien in Palästina zwischen 2005 – 2012. ISBN 978-9950-383-35-7.

Erste Auflage / First Edition : July 2013, Shaaban 1434 H. pp. 241-247.

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Dr. Norman Ali Bassam (2013). The Story of Prophet Yunus (Jonah) (Peace Be Upon Him) and the Whale. In: Fauna Palaestina – Part Three. Zoological Studies in Palestine between 2005 – 2012/ Fauna Palaestina – Teil Drei. Zoologische Studien in Palästina zwischen 2005 – 2012. ISBN 978-9950-383-35-7. Erste Auflage / First Edition : July 2013, Shaaban 1434 H. pp. 249-255.

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Dr. Norman Ali Bassam (2013). The Andromeda Sea Monster of Jaffa.

In: Fauna Palaestina – Part Three. Zoological Studies in Palestine between 2005 – 2012/ Fauna Palaestina – Teil Drei. Zoologische Studien in Palästina zwischen 2005 – 2012.

ISBN 978-9950-383-35-7. Erste Auflage / First Edition : July 2013, Shaaban 1434 H. pp.

257-258.

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Bassam (2014). Fauna Palaestina – Part Four.

Zoological Studies in Palestine between 1983 – 2014/ Fauna Palaestina – Teil Vier.

Zoologische Studien in Palästina zwischen 1983 – 2014. ISBN978-9950-383-77-7. Erste Auflage / First Edition : July 2014, Ramadan 1435 H. pp. 456 (English part 378 pages and Arabic part 78 pages). Publisher: Dar Al Jundi Publishing House, Al-Quds (Jerusalem), State of Palestine. http://fauna-palaestina-part1.webs.com/faunapalaestina4.htm & eBook: https://www.yumpu.com/fr/document/view/62741122/book-fauna-palaestina-4Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

36

year-2014-by-prof-dr-norman-ali-bassam-khalaf-von-jaffa-isbn-978-9950-383-77-7 Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2014).

Dinasurat Al Quds (Dinosaurs of Jerusalem). Dialogue with Prof. Dr. Norman Khalafvon Jaffa. National Geographic Arabiya Magazine (October 2014, Pages 52--53). https://www.flickr.com/photos/50022881@N00/15412670595 Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2014). A Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) Stranding on Failaka Island, State of Kuwait. Gazelle - The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (ISSN 0178-6288). Number 119. November 2014. pp. 1-13.

Dubai and Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. http://animals-of-kuwait.webs.com/ Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2015). Plants and Animals unique to Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. ISSN 0178 – 6288. Number 125, May 2015. pp. 1-18. Dubai and Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. http://flora-fauna-palestine-2.webs.com/ Khalaf-von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Bassam (2015). Fauna Palaestina – Part Five.

Zoological Studies in Palestine between 1983 – 2016/ Fauna Palaestina – Teil Fünf.

Zoologische Studien in Palästina zwischen 1983 – 2016. ISBN 978-9950-383-92-0. Erste Auflage / First Edition : July 2015, Ramadan 1436 H. 448 pp. (English Part 304 Pages and the Arabic Part 144 Pages). Publisher: Dar Al Jundi Publishing House, Al-Quds (Jerusalem), State of Palestine. http://fauna-palaestina-books.webs.com/ & eBook (Google Drive): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1C9Vo6oBn4AAYB7XnpeIGgEXgOBZFzar6/view?us p=sharing Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2015). The 24meters Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) Skeleton at the Educational Science Museum in Kuwait City, State of Kuwait. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. ISSN 0178 6288. Number 128, August 2015, pp. 1-18. Dubai and Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. http://animals-of-kuwait.webs.com/blue-whale-skeleton Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2015). The Umm Al-Maradem Island Whale Skeleton at the Educational Science Museum in Kuwait City, State of Kuwait. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. ISSN 0178 6288. Number 130, October 2015, pp. 1-18. Dubai and Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. http://animals-of-kuwait.webs.com/umm-al-maradem-whale Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2016). A Scientific Visit to Wadi El-Hitan (Whales Valley), Al-Fayyum, Al-Sahraa Al-Gharbiah (Western Desert), Egypt. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (ISSN 0178 – 6288).

Number 134, February 2016, pp. 1-44. Sharjah and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. http://cetacea.webs.com/wadi-el-hitan Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2016). Whale Bone Remains at the Diving Village, Heritage Village, Dubai, United Arab Emirates and a Note on the Whales and Dolphins in the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (ISSN 0178 – 6288). Number 141, September 2016, pp.

1-19. Sharjah and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. http://cetacea.webs.com/whale-bonesdubai Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

37

Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2016).

Haywanat Falastin (Fauna of Palestine) ‫ حيوانات فلسطين‬. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. ISSN 0178 – 6288. Number 144, December 2016, pp. 1-18. Dubai and Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (In Arabic). http://animals-of-palestine-2.webs.com/fauna-ofpalestine-arabic Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Mohammad Ahmad Mostafa (2017). Whale vertebra from a stranded Whale in 1965 on the beach of Qidfa Village, Emirate of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. ISSN 0178 – 6288. Number 153, September 2017, pp. 1-6. Dubai and Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. http://cetacea.webs.com/whale-vertebrae-qidfa-uae Khalaf-von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam (September 2017). YouTube : Whale Skeletons at Muscat Natural History Museum, Oman. https://youtu.be/O_fSJdG0dfc Khalaf, Norman Ali (17.10.2017). First record of a mother Arabian Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae indica) with juvenile in the Sea of Dubai-Jumeirah. Photos taken from a video published by UAE Dolphin Project. Facebook. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10155685010874831&id=560519830&hc_ location=ufi Khalaf-Prinz Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Mohammad Ahmad Mostafa (November 2017). First Sighting Record of the Arabian Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae indica Gervais, 1883) in the Sea of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Arabian Gulf. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. ISSN 0178 – 6288. Number 155, November 2017, pp. 16-50. Published by Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf Department for Environmental Research and Media, National Research Center, University of Palestine, Gaza, State of Palestine. http://marine-life-uae2.webs.com/arabian-humpback-whale Khalaf, Norman Ali (22.11.2017). Whale Vertebra at Fujairah Museum. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/dr.norman.ali.khalaf/media_set?set=a.10155793851074831 .1073742049.560519830&type=3&pnref=story Khalaf-Prinz Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Mohammad Ahmad Mostafa (2018). Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) Skeleton at the Natural History Museum in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. ISSN 0178 – 6288. Number 165, September 2018, pp.

1-31. Published by Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf Department for Environmental Research and Media, National Research Center, University of Palestine, Gaza, State of Palestine.http://cetacea.webs.com/ Khalaf-Prinz Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Mohammad Ahmad Mostafa (2018). A Whale Vertebra at Fujairah Museum, Fujairah City, Emirate of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. ISSN 0178 – 6288. Number 166, October 2018, pp. 1-11. Published by Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf Department for Environmental Research and Media, National Research Center, University of Palestine, Gaza, State of Palestine. http://cetacea2.webs.com/whale-vertebra-fujairah Khalaf, Sharif Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Mohammad Ahmad Ahmad Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

38

Mostafa Abdallah Mohammad (Abu Nora) (2018). The Family of Sharif Hajji Taher Mohammad Ahmad Ahmad Mostafa Khalaf (Abu Othman). A Pictorial History Book of a Palestinian Family from Jaffa in the Twentieth Century. ISBN 978-9950-974-40-1. First Edition, October 2018, Safar 1440 Hijri. 120 pp. In Arabic. Publisher: Prof. Dr. Norman Khalaf Department for Environmental Research and media, National Research Center, University of Palestine, Gaza, State of Palestine. https://family-taherkhalaf.webs.com/ & eBook: https://www.yumpu.com/xx/document/view/62242473/book-family-taher-khalaf2018 Khalaf-Prinz Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Mohammad Ahmad Mostafa (2018). A 27-meters dead Great Indian Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus indica Blyth, 1859) washes ashore at Khorfakkan Port, Khorfakkan, United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. ISSN 0178 – 6288. Number 167, November 2018, pp. 1-21. Published by Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf Department for Environmental Research and Media, National Research Center, University of Palestine, Gaza, State of Palestine. http://cetacea-2.webs.com/ Khalaf-Prinz Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Mohammad Ahmad Mostafa (December 2018). Cetacean Skeletons at the Whale Hall in the Natural History Museum in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. ISSN 0178 – 6288. Number 168, December 2018, pp. 1-29. Published

by Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf Department for Environmental Research and Media, National Research Center, University of Palestine, Gaza, State of Palestine. http://cetacea-2.webs.com/cetacean-skeletons-muscat Khalaf-Prinz Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Mohammad Ahmad Mostafa (July 2019). Cetacean Skeletons at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle (National Museum of Natural History) in Paris, France. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. ISSN 0178 – 6288. Volume 37, Number 175, July 2019, pp.

1-31. Published by Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf Department for Environmental Research and Media, National Research Center, University of Palestine, Gaza, State of Palestine. https://cetacea-2.webs.com/cetacean-skeletons-paris Khalaf-Prinz Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Sharif Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Mohammad Ahmad Ahmad Mostafa Abdallah Mohammad (December 2019). Whales from the Gaza Strip, Sea of Gaza, State of Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. ISSN 0178 – 6288. Volume 37, Number 180, December 2019, pp. 1-17. Published

by Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf Department for Environmental Research and Media, National Research Center, University of Palestine, Gaza, State of Palestine. https://cetacea-3.webs.com/ Khalaf-Prinz Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Mohammad Ahmad Ahmad Mostafa Abdallah Mohammad (May 2020). The Chilean Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020): A New Subspecies from Chile.

Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. ISSN 0178 – 6288. Volume 38, Number 185, 01 May 2020, pp. 40-63. Published by Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf Department for Environmental Research and Media, National Research Center, University of Palestine, Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

39

Gaza, State of Palestine. https://cetacea-4.webs.com/chilean-blue-whale & https://issuu.com/dr-norman-ali-khalaf/docs/chilean_blue_whale & https://www.academia.edu/42986554/The_Chilean_Blue_Whale_Balaenoptera_musc ulus_chilensis_Khalaf_2020_A_New_Subspecies_from_Chile Khalaf-von Jaffa, Dr. Norman Ali Bassam (May 2020). Taxon Profile: Subspecies Balaenoptera musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020. BioLib. https://www.biolib.cz/en/adtaxon/id457998/ Khalaf, Norman A. B. (May 2020). The Chilean Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020): A New Subspecies from Chile. References. ZooBank. http://zoobank.org/References/a0d7141d-40fa-42c3-8af9-dac1b7b10d80 Khalaf, Norman Ali (18.05.2020). Grey Whale splashing out of water at Dubai Mall fountain !!!. Whale in Dubai Mall Fountain. UAE News. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/103730864653539/videos/1166242913730970/UzpfSTU2M DUxOTgzMDoxMDE1ODIyNDA0MTIzNDgzMQ/ Khalaf-Prinz Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Sharif Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Mohammad Ahmad Ahmad Mostafa Abdallah Mohammad (August 2021). First Record of the Killer Whale (Orcinus orca Linnaeus, 1758) off the Coasts of Akka (Acre) and Nahariya, Northern Occupied Palestine, and Beirut, Lebanon. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. ISSN 0178 – 6288. Volume 39, Number 200, August 2021, pp. 1-17.

Published by Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf Department for Environmental Research and Media, National Research Center, University of Palestine, Gaza, State of Palestine. (With English and Arabic Abstract). https://cetacea-3.webs.com/killer-whale-palestine Khalaf-Prinz Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Sharif Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Mohammad Ahmad Ahmad Mostafa Abdallah Mohammad (September 2021). A Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus Montagu, 1821) stranding on Khan Yunis Shore, Southern Gaza Strip, State of Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. ISSN 0178 – 6288. Volume 39, Number 201, September 2021, pp. 1-21.

Published by Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf Department for Environmental Research and Media, National Research Center, University of Palestine, Gaza, State of Palestine. (With English and Arabic Abstract). https://cetacea-3.webs.com/dolphin-khan-yunis & https://issuu.com/dr-norman-ali-khalaf/docs/dolphin_khan_yunis_gaza Khalaf-Prinz Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Sharif Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Mohammad Ahmad Ahmad Mostafa Abdallah Mohammad (October 2021). First Record of the Northern Indian Ocean Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus indica Blyth, 1859) in Palestinian Waters, Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. ISSN 0178 – 6288. Volume 39, Number 202, October 2021, pp. 1-27. Published

by Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf Department for Environmental Research and Media, National Research Center, University of Palestine, Gaza, State of Palestine. (With English and Arabic Abstract). https://cetacea-3.webs.com/blue-whale-palestine & https://issuu.com/dr-norman-ali-khalaf/docs/blue_whale_palestine Khalaf-Prinz Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Sharif Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Mohammad Ahmad Ahmad Mostafa Abdallah Mohammad (November 2021). The Chilean Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020). Gazelle: The Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

40

Palestinian Biological Bulletin. ISSN 0178 – 6288. Volume 39, Number 203, November 2021, pp. 1-45. Published by Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf Department for Environmental Research and Media, National Research Center, University of Palestine, Gaza, State of Palestine. (With English and Arabic Abstract). https://cetacea4.webs.com/blue-whale-chilensis & https://issuu.com/dr-norman-alikhalaf/docs/chilean_blue_whale_b_m_chilensis Kirby, Alex (19 June 2003). Science seeks clues to pygmy whale. BBC News Online.

Klinowska, M. (1991). Dolphins, Porpoises and Whales of the World: The IUCN Red Data Book. Gland, Switzerland; Cambridge, U.K.: IUCN, ISBN 2880329361.

Koning, Jason de and Geoff Wild (1997). Contaminant analysis of organochlorines in blubber biopsies from blue whales in the St. Lawrence Seaway. Trent University.

Lang AR, Calambokidis J, Scordino J, Pease VL, Klimek A, Burkanov VN, et al. (2014).

Assessment of genetic structure among eastern North Pacific gray whales on their feeding grounds. Mar Mamm Sci. 2014;30(4):1473–93.

LeDuc RG, Archer FI, Lang AR, Martien KK, Hancock-Hanser B, Torres-Flores JP, et al.

(2017). Genetic variation in blue whales in the eastern pacific: implication for taxonomy and use of common wintering grounds. Mol Ecol. 2017; 26:740–51.

LeDuc RG, Dizon AE, Goto M, Pastene LA, Kato H, Nishiwaki S, et al. (2007). Patterns of genetic variation in Southern Hemisphere blue whales and the use of assignment tests to detect mixing on the feeding grounds. J Cetacean Res Manage. 2007;9(1):73–80.

Liaw, A., & Wiener, M. (2002). Classification and regression by randomForest. R News, 2(3), 18– 22.

Linnaeus, Carl (Carl von Linné) (1758). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Syst. Nat. (ed. 10). Holmiae : Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii, 1758-1759.

Ljungblad, D. K., Clark, C. W., & Shimada, H. (1998). A comparison of sounds attributed to pygmy blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) recorded south of the Madagascar Plateau and those attributed to ‘true’ blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) recorded off Antarctica. Report of the International Whaling Commission, 48, 439– 442.

Mackintosh, N. A.; Wheeler, J. F. G. (1929). Southern blue and fin whales. Discovery Reports I: 259–540.

Marhsall, Michael (2010). Blue whale feeding methods are ultra-efficient. New Scientist, December 2010.

Marino, Lori; Connor, Richard C.; Fordyce, R. Ewan; Herman, Louis M.; Hof, Patrick R.; Lefebvre, Louis; Lusseau, David; McCowan, Brenda; et al. (2007). Cetaceans Have Complex Brains for Complex Cognition. PLoS Biology. 5 (5): e139.

Mate BR, Lagerquist BA, Calambokidis J. (1999). Movements of North Pacific blue whales during the feeding season off southern California and their southern fall migration. Mar Mamm Sci. 1999;15(4):1246–57.

McDonald MA, Mesnick SL, Hildebrand JA. (2006). Biogeographic characterisation of blue whale song worldwide: using song to identify populations. J Cetacean Res Manage. 2006;8(1):55–66.

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

41

Mead, J. G.; Brownell, R. L., Jr. (2005). Order Cetacea. In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press.p. 725. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0.

Moline, Mark A., Herve Claustre, Thomas K. Frazer, Oscar Schofield, and Maria Vernet (2004). Alteration of the Food Web Along the Antarctic Peninsula in Response to a Regional Warming Trend. Global Change Biology 10 (12): 1973–1980.

Monnahan, C. C., Branch, T. A., Stafford, K. M., Ivashchenko, Y. V., & Oleson, E. M. (2014). Estimating historical eastern North Pacific blue whale catches using spatial calling patterns. PLoS One, 9, e98974.

Moritz, Craig (1994). Defining ‘Evolutionarily Significant Units’ for conservation. http://www.filogeografia.dna.ac/PDFs/conserv/Moritz_94_ESUs_conservation.pdf Nasu K. (1966). Oceanography of whaling grounds. Scientific Reports of the Whales Research Institute (Tokyo). 1966;20:157–210.

National Marine Fisheries Service (2002). Endangered Species Act – Section 7.

Consultation Biological Opinion (PDF).

Nemoto, T. (1957). Foods of baleen whales in the northern Pacific. Sci. Rep. Whales Res. Inst. 12: 33–89.

Nemoto, T., Kawamura, A. (1977). Characteristics of food habits and distribution of baleen whales with special reference to the abundance of North Pacific sei and Bryde's whales. Rep. Int. Whal. Commn 1 (Special Issue): 80–87. Ñiquen M, Bouchon M. (2004). Impact of El Niño events on pelagic fisheries in Peruvian waters. Deep Sea Res (II Top Stud Oceanogr). 2004;51(6–9):563–74.

Noad MJ, Dunlop RA, Paton D, Cato DH. (2011). Absolute and relative abundance estimates of Australian east coast humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). J Cetacean Res Manage (Special Issue). 2011;3:243–52.

Oftedal, Olav T. (1997). Lactation in Whales and Dolphins: Evidence of Divergence Between Baleen- and Toothed-Species. pg 224.

Omura, H. (1984). Measurements of body proportions of the pygmy blue whale, left by the late Dr. Tadayoshi Ichihara. Scientific Reports of the Whale Research Institute, Tokyo, 35, 199– 203.

Ortega‐Ortiz, C. D., Gómez‐Muñoz, V. M. G., & Gendron, D. (2018). Allometry and morphometry of blue whales photographed in the Gulf of California: Insights into subspecies taxonomy in the Eastern North Pacific. Endangered Species Research, 37, 183– 194.

Pastene, Luis A., Jorge Acevedo, Trevor A. Branch (18.06.2019 / January 2020).

Morphometric analysis of Chilean blue whales and implications for their taxonomy.

Marine Mammal Science. Volume 36. Issue 1, January 2020. Pages 116-135. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mms.12625 Perrin, William and Joseph Geraci. Stranding. pp 1192–1197. in: Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals (Perrin, Wursig and Thewisseneds).

Piper, Ross (2007). Extraordinary Animals: An Encyclopedia of Curious and Unusual Animals, Greenwood Press.

Pike DG, Vikingsson GA, Gunnlaugsson T, Øien N. (2009). A note on the distribution Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

42

and abundance of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) in the Central and Northeast North Atlantic. NAMMCO Sci Pub. 2009;7:19–29.

Quora.com. What was the original meaning of the Latin word musculus, meaning muscle? https://www.quora.com/What-was-the-original-meaning-of-the-Latin-wordmusculus-meaning-muscle R Core Team. (2016). R: A language and environment for statistical computing. Vienna, Austria: R Foundation for Statistical Computing. Retrieved from https://www.Rproject.org/ Rasmussen K, Palacios DM, Calambokidis J, Saborío MT, Dalla Rosa L, Secchi ER, et al.

(2007). Southern Hemisphere humpback whales wintering off Central America: insights from water temperature into the longest mammalian migration. Biol Lett. 2007;3:302–5. pmid:17412669 Reeves, R.R., Clapham, P.J., Brownell, R.L., Silber, G.K. (1998). Recovery plan for the blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) (PDF). Silver Spring, MD: National Marine Fisheries Service. p. 42.

Reilly, S.B., Bannister, J.L., Best, P.B., Brown, M., Brownell Jr., R.L., Butterworth, D.S., Clapham, P.J., Cooke, J., Donovan, G.P., Urbán, J. & Zerbini, A.N. (2008). Balaenoptera musculus. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1. International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Reilly S, Thayer VG. (1990). Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) distribution in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Mar Mamm Sci. 1990;6(4):265–77.

Richardson, W.J., C.R. Greene, C.I. Malme and D.H. Thomson (1995). Marine mammals and noise. Academic Press, Inc., San Diego, CA. ISBN 0-12-588441-9.

Rinat, Zafrir and Almog Ben Zikri (May 30, 2018). WATCH Blue Whale Makes Unprecedented Visit Off Eilat's Red Sea Coast . https://www.haaretz.com/israelnews/blue-whale-makes-unprecedented-visit-off-eilat-s-red-sea-coast-1.6134521 Robinson, Julian (20.02.2018). A pitiful end for a titan of the sea: Blue whale carcass is stomped on by people taking selfies and covered in GRAFFITI saying 'Ana I love you' after washing up on a beach. Daily Mail Online. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article5412301/Blue-whale-carcass-stomped-covered-GRAFFITI.html Robinson, Julian (Daily Mail) (20.02.2018). Blue whale carcass washes up on the coast of Chile. SOTT. https://www.sott.net/article/377888-Blue-whale-carcass-washes-up-onthe-coast-of-Chile Robinson, Robert A., Jennifer A. Learmonth, Anthony M. Hutson, Colin D. Macleod, Tim H. Sparks, David I. Leech, Graham J. Pierce, Mark M. Rehfisch and Humphrey Q.P. Crick (August 2005). Climate Change and Migratory Species (PDF). BTO. Samaran, F., Berne, A., Leroy, E. C., Moreira, S., Stafford, K. M., Maia, M., & Royer, J.‐Y. (2018). Antarctic blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia) recorded at the Equator in the Atlantic Ocean. Marine Mammal Science, 35, 641– 648.

Samaran, F., Stafford, K. M., Branch, T. A., Gedamke, J., Royer, J. Y., Dziak, R. P., & Guinet, C. (2013). Seasonal and geographic variation of southern blue whale subspecies in the Indian Ocean. PLoS One, 8, e71561.

Sasaki, T. et al. (4 March 2011). Mitochondrial phylogenetics and evolution of mysticete Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

43

whales. Systematic Biology 54 (1): 77–90.

Scammon, C.M. (1874). The marine mammals of the northwestern coast of North America.Together with an account of the American whale-fishery. San Francisco: John H. Carmany and Co. p. 319.

Schiermeier, Quirin (2007). Climate change: a sea change. Nature 439(7074): 256–260.

Sears, R. (1990). The Cortez blues. Whalewatcher 24 (2): 12–15.

Sears, R. and Calambokidis, J. (2002). Update COSEWIC status report on the blue whale Balaenoptera musculus in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, Ottawa.p. 32.

Sears, R., Wenzel, F.W., Williamson, J.M. (1987). The Blue Whale: A Catalogue of Individuals from the Western North Atlantic (Gulf of St. Lawrence). Mingan Island Cetacean Study, St. Lambert, Quebec.: 27.

Sears R, Williamson JM, Wenzel FW, Berubé M, Gendron D, Jones P. (1990).

Photographic identification of the blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) in the Gulf of the St. Lawrence, Canada. Report of the International Whaling Commission (Special Issue).

1990;12:335–42.

Sharjah 24 (27.11.2017). Huge dead whale found on Khorfakkan beach. https://www.sharjah24.ae/en/health-and-family/environment/271188-huge-deadwhale-found-on-khorfakkan-beach Shirihai, H.; Jarrett, B. (2006). Whales Dolphins and Other Marine Mammals of the World. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. pp. 155–158. ISBN 978-0-691-12757-6.

Simpson, D. P. (1979). Cassell's Latin Dictionary (5 ed.). London: Cassell Ltd. p. 883.

ISBN 0-304-52257-0. Širović, A., Hildebrand, J. A., Wiggins, S. M., McDonald, M. A., Moore, S. E., & Thiele, D. (2004). Seasonality of blue and fin whale calls and the influence of sea ice in the Western Antarctic Peninsula. Deep‐Sea Research, II, 51, 2327– 2344. Širović, Ana; John A. Hildebrand, Sean M. Wiggins, & Deborah Thiele (2009). Blue and fin whale acoustic presence around Antarctica during 2003 and 2004. Marine Mammal Science. 25(1):125 - 136 · January 2009. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227627828_Blue_and_fin_whale_acoustic_ presence_around_Antarctica_during_2003_and_2004 Species Fact Sheets: Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus, 1758). Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations.Retrieved 24 December 2012.

Sremba, A. L., Hancock‐Hanser, B., Branch, T. A., LeDuc, R. L., & Baker, C. S. (2012).

Circumpolar diversity and geographic differentiation of mtDNA in the critically endangered Antarctic blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia). PLoS One,7, e32579.

Sremba Angela L., Brittany L. Hancock‐Hanser, Trevor A. Branch, R. LeDuc, & C. Scott Baker (2012). A minimum census of surviving maternal lineages among contemporary Antarctic blue whales: progress report. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267382281_A_minimum_census_of_surviv ing_maternal_lineages_among_contemporary_Antarctic_blue_whales_progress_report Stafford, Kathleen Mary; E. Chapp, D. R. Bohnenstiehl, & M. Tolstoy (2011). Seasonal Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

44

detection of three types of 'pygmy' blue whale calls in the Indian Ocean. Marine Mammal Science. 23(4):751-765 · January 2011. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313628915_Seasonal_detection_of_three_ty pes_of_%27pygmy%27_blue_whale_calls_in_the_Indian_Ocean Stafford, K. M., Bohnenstiehl, D. R., Tolstoy, M., Chapp, E., Mellinger, D. K., & Moore, S. E. (2004). Antarctic‐type blue whale calls recorded at low latitudes in the Indian and eastern Pacific Oceans. Deep‐Sea Research I, 51, 1337– 1346.

Tarpy, C. (1979). Killer whale attack!. National Geographic 155 (4): 542–545.

The Blue Whale Project (2010). Beaty Biodiversity Museum. Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia. 2010.

Taylor, B. L., Perrin, W. F., Reeves, R. R., Rosel, P. E., Wang, J. Y., Cipriano, F., …

Brownell, R. L. (2017). Why we should develop guidelines and quantitative standards for using genetic data to delimit subspecies for data‐poor organisms like cetaceans.

Marine Mammal Science, 33(Special Issue), 12– 26.

The Times of Israel. (30.05.2018). Rare blue whale spotted off Eilat coast. https://www.timesofisrael.com/rare-blue-whale-spotted-off-eilat-coast/ Thomisch, K. (2017). Distribution patterns and migratory behavior of Antarctic blue whales (Ph.D. dissertation). Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany.

Thomisch, Karolin (2017). Distribution patterns and migratory behavior of Antarctic blue whales. Berichte zur Polar- und Meeresforschung = Reports on polar and marine research, Bremerhaven, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, 707 , 188 p. . doi: 10.2312/BzPM_0707_2017.

Tjalexforever (21.10.2015). 18 meter long whale skeleton at National Museum in Santiago, Chile. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOCd0YGuG6M Torres-Florez JP, Hucke-Gaete R, LeDuc R, Lang A, Taylor B, Pimper LE, et al. (2014).

Blue whale population structure along the eastern South Pacific Ocean: evidence of more than one population. Mol Ecol. 2014;23 (24):5998–6010. pmid:25492593.

Torres-Florez JP, Hucke-Gaete R, Rosenbaum H, Figueroa CC. (2014). High genetic diversity in a small population: the case of Chilean blue whales. Ecol Evol.

2014;4(8):1398–412. pmid:24834336 Torres-Florez JP, Olson P, Bedrinana-Romano L, Rosenbaum HC, Ruiz J, LeDuc R, & Hucke‐Gaete, R. (2015). First documented migratory destination for Eastern South Pacific blue whales. Marine Mammal Science, 2015;31(4):1580–1586.

UAE Interact. Natural UAE. Whales and Dolphins of the UAE. http://www.uaeinteract.com/nature/marine/mml02.asp Vernazzani, Galletti B, Brownell Jr RL, Cabrera E, Carlson CA, Sironi M. (2012). Update on 2012 blue whale field season in Chile. Paper SC/64/SH18 presented to the IWC Scientific Committee, May 2012 (unpublished) 8pp [Available from www.iwc.int] 2012.

Vernazzani, Galletti B, Carlson C, Cabrera E, Brownell RL Jr. (2012). Chilean blue whales off Isla Grande de Chiloe, 2004–2010: distribution, site fidelity and behaviour. J Cetacean Res Manage. 2012;12(3):353–60.

Vernazzani, Barbara Galletti; Jennifer A. Jackson , Elsa Cabrera, Carole A. Carlson, Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021

45

Robert L. Brownell Jr. (January 12, 2017). Estimates of Abundance and Trend of Chilean Blue Whales off Isla de Chiloé, Chile. Plos One. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0168646 Wells, Andy (20.02.2018). Mindless vandals leave GRAFFITI on washed-up whale carcass then take tasteless pictures on its back. Yahoo News UK. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/mindless-vandals-stomp-washed-blue-whale-carcasstake-selfies-scratch-graffiti-skin-114631657.html Wenzel, F.W., Mattila, D.K., Clapham, P.J. (1988). Balaenoptera musculus in the Gulf of Maine. Mar Mammal Sci. 4 (2): 172–175.

Whale Watching Chile. Tripadvisor. https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g303674-d12473697-ReviewsWhale_Watching_Chile-La_Serena_Coquimbo_Region.html Wijeyeratne, Gehan de Silva (15 April 2011). Is southern Sri Lanka the world's top spot for seeing Blue and Sperm whales? . Wildlife Extra.com.

Williams, Rob; Sharon L. Hedley, Trevor A. Branch, Mark V. Bravington, Alexandre N. Zerbini and Ken P. Findlay (2011). Chilean Blue Whales as a Case Study to Illustrate Methods to Estimate Abundance and Evaluate Conservation Status of Rare Species.

Conservation Biology. Vol. 25, No. 3 (June 2011), pp. 526-535.

Wood, Gerald (1983). The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats.p. 256. ISBN 978-085112-235-9.

Wikipidia. Blauwal. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blauwal Wikipedia. Blue whale. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_whale Wikipedia. Chilean National Museum of Natural History. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilean_National_Museum_of_Natural_History Wikipidea. ‫ حوت أزرق‬. https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/‫حوت_أزرق‬ Williams R, Hedley S, Branch TA, Bravington M, Zerbini AN, Findlay K. (2011). Chilean blue whales as a case study to illustrate methods to estimate abundance and evaluate conservation status of rare species. Conserv Biol. 2011;25(3):526–35. pmid:21385211.

WWF (27.02.2014). Blue whale conservation gets a boost . The approval by the government of Chile of the largest Marine Protected Area (MPA) in continental Chile is a boost to conservation efforts for blue whales and dolphins. https://wwf.panda.org/?216893/Blue-whale-conservation-gets-a-boost Yablokov, AV (1994). Validity of whaling data. Nature 367 (6459): 108.

Yochem, P.K., Leatherwood, S. (1980). Blue whale Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus, 1758). In Ridgway, S.H., Harrison, R. Handbook of Marine Mammals, Vol. 3: The Sirenians and Baleen Whales. London: Academic Press. pp. 193–240.

Zar, J. H. (1984). Biostatistical analysis (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

ZooBank (May 2020). Balaena musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020. http://zoobank.org/NomenclaturalActs/c2a69dc2-feb5-4658-83da-2af525b46125 ZooBank (May 2020). Balaenoptera musculus chilensis Khalaf, 2020. http://zoobank.org/NomenclaturalActs/b6cd6e5d-7588-4bde-8be4-d41701dfa7eb

‫والحمد هلل رب العالمين‬ Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 203 – November 2021