Male Nipples in Blue and Fin Whales and Their Absence in Sperm Whales

Abstract: During the Antarctic Whaling Season of 1947-1948, searches in a series of foetal and postnatal male blue and fin whales gave information on variation, morphology, and morphometry of the nipples sunk in grooves posterior to the penis. A review indicates that male nipples occur in most, probably all, whalebone whales. In 1947-1948, no nipples were found in six postnatal sperm whales, and further evidence, from 41 male foetal sperm whales, and 1,269 male postnatal sperm whales examined in the Southeast Pacific in 1958 to 1962, showed that male sperm whales do not possess nipples.

Key Words: BLUE WHALES; FIN WHALES; SPERM WHALES; MALE NIPPLES; NIPPLE GROOVES; PHYSETER; BALAENOPTERA

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1578/AM.31.1.2005.124

Page Numbers: 124 – 132

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