Whales of the Silver Bank - Pectoral Fin

The pectoral fin is approximately 1/3 the body length of the humpback whale. Pectoral fins are believed to be used similar to stabilizers or rudders of a ship. They enable the whale to swim backwards and stop on a dime. These long pectoral fins are where humpbacks get their name Megaptera novaeangliae or big winged New Englander.

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