Minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata

This photograph taken by John Struthers in c. 1870 shows Robert Gibb his 'faithfull attendant who took intelligent interest in the work and never grudged sitting with me at extra hours'.

The photograph shows a minke whale on the floor of Struthers' laboratory in the anatomy department at Marischal College. It is annotated in Struthers own handwriting:

'Lesser fin-whale (Balaenoptera rostrata). Stranded at Aberdeen in July 1870. Photograph taken in the room where it was exhibited. The skeleton is in the Anatomical Museum. J Struthers'.

The skull of this baleen whale is now on display in the Zoology Museum.

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