Editing Pygmy right whale (section)

== Description ==
[[File:Caperea marginata 3.jpg|thumb|Artist's impression of a pygmy right whale]]
The pygmy right whale is rarely encountered and consequently little studied. However, it is known that it is by far the smallest of the baleen whales. Calves are estimated to be about {{convert|1.6|m}} to {{convert|2.2|m}} at birth<ref name=Klinowska>{{cite book |last=Klinowska |first=M. |title = Dolphins, Porpoises and Whales of the World: The IUCN Red Data Book |publisher=IUCN |year=1991 |location=Cambridge, U.K.}}</ref> (an approximately {{convert|2|m}} fetus was reported from a {{convert|6|m}} female that had stranded in Perkins Bay, Tasmania, in 1982<ref name=Munday1982>{{cite journal |last1=Munday |first1=B. L. |last2=Green |first2=R. H. |last3=Obendorf |first3=D. L. |title=A pygmy right whale ''Caperea marginata'' (Grey, 1846) stranded at Stanley, Tasmania |journal=Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania |date=1982 |volume=116 |pages=1–4 |doi=10.26749/rstpp.116.1|doi-access=free}}</ref>). By the time they are weaned, they may be about {{convert|3|to|3.5|m|ft}} long. It is believed they become sexually mature at about {{convert|5|m}} and physically mature at about {{convert|6|m}}.<ref name=Kemper/> The longest male registered, was a {{convert|6.1|m}} individual which had stranded in [[Cloudy Bay (Tasmania)|Cloudy Bay, Tasmania]],<ref name=Mead>{{cite book |last=Mead |first=James G. and Joy P. Gold |title=Whales and Dolphins In Question: the Smithsonian Answer Book |publisher=Smithsonian Institution Press |year=2002 |location=Washington D.C.}}</ref> while the longest female was a {{convert|6.45|m}} individual which had stranded in [[Stanley, Tasmania]] in 1981.<ref name=Munday1982/> Pygmy right whales can weigh as much as {{convert|3430|kg|lb}}.<ref name=Kemper/> A {{convert|6.21|m}} female weighed {{convert|3200|kg|lb}} and a {{convert|5.47|m}} male weighed {{convert|2850|kg|lb}}.<ref name=Nowak>{{cite book |last=Nowak |first=Ronald M. |title=Walker's Mammals of the World |url=https://archive.org/details/walkersmammalsof0001nowa |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |year=1999 |location=Baltimore}}</ref> Gestation and lactation periods and longevity are all unknown. Part of the reason for the scarcity of data may be the relative inactivity of the whale, making location for study difficult. The blow is small and indistinct and the whale is usually a slow undulating swimmer, although capable of bursts of acceleration.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}}

The coloring and shape of the pygmy right whale, dark gray dorsally and lighter gray ventrally, commonly with a pair of chevron-shaped lighter patches behind the eyes, is similar to that of the [[dwarf minke whale|dwarf minke]] and [[Antarctic minke whale]]s and at sea the species may easily be confused with these two species, in case the jaw and flippers are not carefully observed. The arched jawline is not as pronounced as other [[right whale]]s and may not be sufficient to distinguish a pygmy right whale from a minke whale. The long, narrow cream-coloured baleen plates with a distinctive white gumline are the most effective discriminators. Unlike true right whales, pygmy rights do not have [[callosity|callosities]]. The [[dorsal fin]] is falcate (crescent-shaped) and located about three-quarters of the way along the back of the animal. Unlike the minke whales, occasionally the dorsal will not be seen on the whale surfacing. Like the minkes, though, it doesn't raise its [[fluke (tail)|flukes]] when it dives.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}}

The skull and skeleton of the pygmy right whale is unlike those of any other extant whale: the [[supraoccipital shield]] extends farther posteriorly; the [[Petrous part of the temporal bone|ear bone]] has a lateral wrinkle and is roughly square in outline.  All seven cervical vertebrae are fused, and the pygmy right has only 44 vertebrae. The 18 pairs of ribs are broad and flat, and make up 39–45% of the vertebral column (compared to 33% in other mysticetes).<ref name=Kemper /><ref name="Naish-pouch">{{Cite web |last=Naish |first=Dairen |date=October 2010 |title=Pouches, pockets and sacs in the heads, necks and chests of mammals, part III: baleen whales |url=http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2010/10/18/baleen-whale-laryngeal-sac/ |access-date=31 December 2013}}</ref> Each thoracic vertebrae has a pair of huge wing-like transverse processes, many of which overlap. The dorsal end of the ribs are remarkably thin and almost fail to make contact with the transverse processes. The reduced tail (or sacrocaudal region) features a vestigial pelvis and small chevron bones.<ref name="Naish-weird">{{Cite journal |last=Naish |first=Darren |date=October 2010 |title=Did I mention that ''Caperea'' is really, really weird? |journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=150 |issue=4 |pages=875–894 |url=http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2010/10/20/caperea-is-really-weird/ |access-date=31 December 2013|doi=10.1111/j.1096-3642.2007.00313.x |doi-access=free }}</ref> The flippers have four digits. The lungs and heart are relatively small, which suggests that the pygmy right whale is not a deep diver. The larynx is reported to be different from any other cetacean.<ref name=Kemper />

Like other mysticetes, the pygmy right whale has a large [[Laryngeal pouch|laryngeal sac]], but in contrast to other mysticetes, this sac is positioned on the right side of the midline in the pygmy right. The presence of this laryngeal sac can possibly be the explanation for the long thorax and flattened ribs, but the peculiar ribs have led to multiple speculations as to their origin.<ref name="Naish-pouch" />