List of species

Here you will find a complete list of the species seen in the Canary Islands. Of these, perhaps 7 are more common here off La Gomera. These are listed separately for the more common species.

Order Odontoceti

Family Delphinidae

Common dolphin, Delphinus delphis, winter and spring

Atlantic spotted dolphin, Stenella frontalis, resident

Spinner Dolphin, Stenella longirostris, rare

Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba, winter and spring

Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis, resident

Borneodolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei, rare

Bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, resident

Risso´s dolphin, Grampus griseus, resident

Short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus, resident

Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas, rare

Killer whale, Orcinus orca, transiting

False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens, transiting

Family Ziphiidae

Blainville’s beaked whale, Mesoplodon densirostris, resident

Gervais beaked whale, Mesoplodon europaeus, resident

True’s beaked whale, Mesoplodon mirus, rare

Cuviers beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris, resident

Northern bottlenose whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus, rare

Family Physeteridae

Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus, resident

Family Kogiidae

Pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps, resident

Dwarf sperm whale, Kogia sima, rare

Order Mysticeti

Family Balaenopteridae

Bryde´s  whale, Balaenoptera edeni, probably resident

Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus, winter and spring

Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis, winter and spring

Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus, migration

Minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata, transiting

Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, migration

Family Balaenidae

Northern right whale, Eubalaena glacialis, rare