Diatoms grow on the skin of a blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus

Coccineis ceticola diatoms grow on the skin of a blue whale. The thin brown film of commensal parasitic Coccineis diatoms, likely the species Coccineis ceticola, are often found on the skin of large cetaceans. Santa Rosa Island, California, USA, Balaenoptera musculus, Coccineis ceticola, natural history stock photograph, photo id 27025
Coccineis ceticola diatoms grow on the skin of a blue whale. The thin brown film of commensal parasitic Coccineis diatoms, likely the species Coccineis ceticola, are often found on the skin of large cetaceans. Santa Rosa Island, California, USA

Species: Blue whale, Coccineis diatoms, Balaenoptera musculus, Coccineis ceticola
Location: Santa Rosa Island, California
Image ID: 27025
Format: Digital 3:2
Keywords: animal, balaenoptera, balaenoptera musculus, balaenopteridae, baleine bleue, ballena azul, big, blue rorqual, blue whale, california, cetacea, cetacean, channel islands, channel islands national marine sanctuary, coccineis ceticola, commensal parasite, creature, diatom, diatomaceous, endangered, endangered threatened species, enormous, great blue whale, great northern rorqual, huge, large, mammal, marine, marine mammal, musculus, mysticete, mysticeti, national marine sanctuaries, nature, ocean, oceans, pacific, pacific ocean, paraside, rorqual, rorqual bleu, sea, sibbald's rorqual, sulphur bottom whale, threatened, usa, whale, wild, wildlife
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