Gregory L. Schwab
Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Texas A & M University, College
Station, TX
On October 3, 1985, a single pygmy killer whale (Feresa attenuata)
(C82) stranded alive on St. Jose island near Port Aransas, Texas. This was followed on December
1, 1985, by a group stranding of the same species near the same location. The group stranding
was comprised of one female (C89) and two males (C88, C90); all three individuals beached alive.
Species identification was based on body coloration, conformation, morphometrics and tooth
counts. These beachings were unusual since only one stranding of this species has been reported
in Texas; this is the first documented record of live strandings of this species along the Texas
coast. Age estimates (based on dentin layers) were 15 years (C82), 12 years (C88), 15+ years
(C89) and 1.2 years (C90). A total of 6 corpora albicantia were counted for each of the two
females; neither was pregnant. Significant necropsy findings included a hemoglobinuria (C82) and
bilateral bronchopnuemonia in conjunction with a severe Nasitrema sp. infestation of both
pterygoid sinuses in association with a brain lesion (C89).