8 of 8

Write now Article Tools

All mammals suffer from one sort of parasite or another. Mammals of the ocean are no different. While relatively little is known about the health and diseases of whales, there is some information about the parasites they become host to. Every once in a while when a dead or beached whale washes up on shore, science has a huge opportunity to discover more about these parasites that inhabit some of the largest animals on the planet.

Whale lice, also called whale louse, are a very common parasite about all species the mammal order Cetacea. This includes not only whales but dolphins and porpoises as well. The lice are very closely related to the skeleton shrimp, which is found in shallower water. The lice are distinctly shaped with a flat, rounded body that tapers greatly toward the rear of the creature. It varies in size between 5mm and 25 mm depending on which species it is. Whale lice are considered external parasites and generally infest skin lesions, nostrils, eyes, and the genital folds of their marine mammal host. Most whale lice species are associated with a particular type of whale, remaining with their host through the entire period of their development. With the sperm whale, the relationship goes farther than being species specific to being gender specific as well. Slower moving whales can have up to 100,000 lice at one time, with faster moving whales accumulating less of an infestation. Certain species of whale lice tend to congregate on whales that also have massive barnacle infestations although the specifics reason why is unknown. Whale lice primarily eat the algae that settles on the body of the whale it's inhabiting. They do not appear to cause any significant damage to the actual whale apart from minor skin damage.

Probably the most well known parasite that affects whales are barnacles. Parasitic barnacles and barnacles that attach themselves to rocks or passing ships differ slightly in their body's makeup. Barnacles are a very variable species, but the parasitic variety usually infest sharks, sea turtles, and baleen whales. Faster moving whales are usually immune from barnacle infestation because the barnacle feeds better in slower moving water and can stayed attached to their host more easily. While barnacles may be considered parasitic in nature their relationship to the whale is more an example of commensalism, meaning that neither the host nor the parasite is harmed because of the relationship.

Several whales that have died and washed up on shore were found to have an infestation of tapeworms. Tapeworms are known to infect all sorts of mammals, though the species of tapeworm does vary by the species of the host. The body of the tapeworm is flat and longer than it is wide, thus the name of tapeworm since that is what it resembles. The longest tapeworm to be found in a whale was 98 feet long. Tapeworms always contain both male and female reproductive organs, so they can reproduce all alone making them a very formidable parasite to have. Tapeworms can kill a whale if the infestation becomes bad enough since the tapeworm would be ingesting a majority of the nutrition that the whale consumed.

Nematodes, also called roundworms, are another common whale parasite. There are more than 15,000 species of nematode that literally inhabit every region on earth. They range in size from 0.3 mm to over 8 meters long. The longest of which are found in the digestive tracts of whales. Many nematode species feed specifically on bacteria located in the digestive tract of the mammal. Normally nematodes infestations can affect the general well being of the whale without being life threatening.

Learn more about this author, Stefani Andrews.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Facts about whale parasites?
We want to hear your view. Write now!