Which whale has white bands on its pectoral flippers?

The common minke whale has white bands on its pectoral flippers. These transverse bands, especially clear in many Northern Hemisphere individuals, are one of the species’ most useful visual identification marks. The common minke whale is Balaenoptera acutorostrata, a relatively small member of the rorqual family.

Common minke whales are dark gray or blackish on the back and white underneath. Their flipper bands contrast with that darker coloration and can help researchers distinguish them from other baleen whales at sea. The species also has a pointed snout, a tall curved dorsal fin, and pale patches along the sides of the body.

Minke whales are filter feeders. They use roughly 230 to 360 pairs of baleen plates to strain small fish, krill, and other prey from seawater. They are among the smallest baleen whales, although they can still grow beyond 9 meters and are powerful, fast swimmers.

The fin whale and blue whale generally lack the common minke’s characteristic white flipper band. Humpback whales can have strikingly patterned flippers, but their long, knobbly-edged pectoral fins and broader body markings are different features. The stored answer therefore identifies the standard species clue.