191980Edited by Drew.110012728layer_information_pageund1449064505146167559000146167559021<p>The long-finned pilot whale has a large, bulbous forehead and a long, robust body, which can measure up to 6.3 metres in length. The prominent dorsal fin is wide at the base and deeply curved. This species of pilot whale has very long, tapered pectoral fins that can measure about a quarter of the body length. Long-finned pilot whales are highly social animals that have been recorded in groups of just a few animals to aggregations of over 1000 individuals; group sizes in the Hebrides are small.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> full_html<p>The long-finned pilot whale has a large, bulbous forehead and a long, robust body, which can measure up to 6.3 metres in length. The prominent dorsal fin is wide at the base and deeply curved. This species of pilot whale has very long, tapered pectoral fins that can measure about a quarter of the body length. Long-finned pilot whales are highly social animals that have been recorded in groups of just a few animals to aggregations of over 1000 individuals; group sizes in the Hebrides are small.</p> <p> </p> 36818<p>Whales, dolphins and porpoises are collectively known as cetaceans. Twenty-three species have been recorded in Scottish waters over the last 25 years. Of these 11 are regularly sighted, the remaining 12 are considered to be vagrants or rare visitors.</p> <p>Cetaceans are very mobile and can range widely with some undertaking large scale seasonal migrations often leaving Scottish waters in the process. Other species are more localised in their distribution. The greatest diversity of species is found off the continental shelf in waters to the north and west of Scotland.</p> full_html<p>Whales, dolphins and porpoises are collectively known as cetaceans. Twenty-three species have been recorded in Scottish waters over the last 25 years. Of these 11 are regularly sighted, the remaining 12 are considered to be vagrants or rare visitors.</p> <p>Cetaceans are very mobile and can range widely with some undertaking large scale seasonal migrations often leaving Scottish waters in the process. Other species are more localised in their distribution. The greatest diversity of species is found off the continental shelf in waters to the north and west of Scotland.</p> 51901425451685177517851905212875sioc:Itemfoaf:Documentdc:datedc:createdxsd:dateTimedate_iso8601dc:modifiedxsd:dateTimedate_iso8601content:encodedsioc:has_creatorrelfoaf:namesioc:num_repliesxsd:integersioc:last_activity_datexsd:dateTimedate_iso8601https://marine.gov.scot/?q=information/long-finned-pilot-whale074391919812728needs_reviewpublished21146167559011146167559074391919812728needs_reviewpublished21146167559011146167559074391919812728needs_reviewpublished211461675590111461675590