A summary of intraspecific size variation for large odontocetes

Abstract

The study of cetacean size and growth aids in research about their energetics, ecology, evolution, and taxonomy. Data on total body length and mass of large cetaceans is retained in an overwhelming amount of literature and previous reviews are limited in discussing the variation of both length and mass. Nearly all the known published literature was examined to provide a brief but comprehensive summary of the adult size of four large odontocetes. To supplement the existing literature, data from the International Whaling Commission catch database were reviewed and incorporated into analyses to improve descriptions of intraspecific variation in adult size for Physeter macrocephalus. Regional comparisons of commercial data for P. macrocephalus revealed apparent differences in adult size that are likely more attributable to catch biases rather than a diagnostic difference in size between populations.