Blue whales often raise their flukes out of the water as they begin a steep dive. In this photo, note the blue whale's thick caudal stem which powers the fluke up and down -- it is composed of the strongest group of muscles in the animal kingdom.
Blue whale, lifting fluke before diving, Baja California.
Image: 03043
Species: Balaenoptera musculus
Common name: Blue whale
Lat/Long: N 032° 38' 35.00", W 117° 20' 04.00" (Coordinates: 32.64306°, -117.33444°)
Format: Film 3:2
Other Names: Sulphur bottom whale, Sibbald's rorqual, blue rorqual, great blue whale, great northern rorqual, Ballena azul, rorqual bleu, baleine bleue
Copyright © Phillip Colla, all rights reserved worldwide.
Keywords: anatomy, animal, balaenoptera, balaenoptera musculus, balaenopteridae, baleine bleue, ballena azul, big, blue rorqual, blue whale, cetacea, cetacean, creature, dive, endangered, endangered threatened species, fluke, great blue whale, great northern rorqual, huge, large, mammal, marine, marine mammal, musculus, mysticete, mysticeti, ocean, pacific, pacific ocean, rorqual, rorqual bleu, sea, sibbald's rorqual, sulphur bottom whale, tail, whale, whale anatomy, whale fluke tail, wildlife
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