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Killer whale morphology - Variation in morphology of killer whale ecotypes

Published by Northwest Fisheries Science Center | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Metadata Last Checked: December 20, 2025 | Last Modified: 2025-10-07T23:06:38.000+00:00
We are using elliptic Fourier analysis to determine the patterns of variation in morphology of dorsal fin shape, saddle patch shape, and eye patch shape of resident, transient, and offshore killer whales in the northeastern Pacific ocean. We will also be looking for evidence of genetic variation underlying these patterns in southern resident killer whales. Morphology and heritability of morphology by ecotype, sex (if available), age (if available), and parentage (if available).

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