Morphological measurements of a Blainville's beaked whale(Mesoplo-don densirostris)stranded at Changle,Fujian Province,China
On August 15,2015,an adult male Blainville's beaked whale(Mesoplodon densirostris)was found stranded on the beach of Shibi Village in Wenling Town,Changle District,Fuzhou City,Fujian Province.This specimen showed no apparent signs of physical trauma on its body surface but succumbed despite rescue attempts.In our investigation,we conducted a comprehensive pathological autopsy,which included collecting external morphometric data and detailing an anatomical description of the skeletal system.The whale measured 405.0 cm in total body length and exhibited a dark gray epidermis with interspersed white,round or oval-shaped wound spots.The post-mortem examination revealed no pathological anomalies in any internal organs.Notably,the absence of food chyme in the stomach and the minimal pres-ence of digestive fluid suggest that the whale had likely not ingested food for some time before its death.Cranial mea-surements indicated a skull length of 690.0 mm.The vertebral formula was recorded as C7+T10+L1 1+Ca18=46,with 10 pairs of ribs and 9 V-bones.The morphological characteristics of the skeletal system were consistent with exist-ing records,with all observed counts and dimensions falling within the species'typical range.Additionally,this paper compares and analyzes the historical stranding and anatomical records of the Burkholder's beaked whale in the waters of China,indicating its widespread distribution.However,basic information on this species is still lacking,and there is an urgent need for investigation and research.
国家科技期刊平台
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万方数据
