12.09.2018 – Names of cetaceans

During our tours today, we found four different cetacean species in the waters South of Madeira: in the morning our spotter directed us to two big Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) more than seven miles out of Calheta. The diversity increased in the afternoon when plenty of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis), Striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) and even some young Rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis) were encountered.

It´s quite interesting to take a look on how these species got their names. The Sperm whales are called like this because the early whalers misidentified the oily substance in the heads of the animals (so called spermaceti organ) for the semen of the animals. The scientific name “Physeter macrocephalus” translates into “blower with a big head”, which refers to the appearance of these whales while breathing on the surface. The shape of the head is also what the German name “Pottwal” refers to.

The Atlantic spotted dolphins and the Striped dolphins both belong to the same genus “Stenella”. This means “narrow” and refers to the rostrums of those dolphins. It´s the same with the scientific name of the Rough-toothed dolphin. “Steno” has this meaning in Greek. The additions “frontalis”, “coeruleoalba” and “bredanensis” indicate further specifications: the narrow snout of the Spotted dolphins is located on the frontal side of the head; the Striped dolphins are colored in blue and white and the Rough-toothed dolphins were studied by the Dutch biologist van Breda who is honored in the naming of the animal.

The English and German names give direct information on the color patterns with spots and stripes of the respective dolphins or specify the form of their teeth being especially rough.

by Jan-Christopher Fischer

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

17:00 Atlantic spotted dolphins

Stenella

08:30 (Snorkeling but we couldn’t go in) Sperm whales

15:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Striped dolphins, Rough-toothed dolphins