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2013 University of California Museum of Paleontology   cc-by-3.0

Phocoena phocoena vomerina is a subspecies of mammals in the family porpoises. They are listed as of special concern by COSEWIC. Individuals can grow to 200 cm. They rely on lift powered swimming to move around.

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  • URI: https://eol.org/schema/terms/lift_based_swimming
  • Definition: Hydrofoils, or fins, are used to push against the water to create a normal force to provide thrust, propelling the animal through water. The reduction of fin cross-sectional area helps to minimize drag, and therefore increase efficiency. Regardless of size of the animal, at any particular speed, maximum possible lift is proportional to (wing area) x (speed)<sup>2</sup>. Dolphins and whales have large, horizontal caudal hydrofoils, while many fish and sharks have vertical caudal hydrofoils.
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EOL has data for 13 attributes, including:

Known occurrences, collected specimens and observations of Phocoena phocoena vomerina Gill 1865. View this species on GBIF