Coronary Arteries of a Fin Whale
IAAAM 1981
Alden Mead; Mario Addabbo
Yale University School of Medicine, Departments of Internal Medicine & Ophthalmology & Visual Science, New Haven, CT

The arterial distribution of a Fin Whale heart was studied by vinyl casting and dissection. Description of the coronary arteries and their anastomoses is presented. Comparison is made with reports of the coronary circulation in other cetacean species. The main coronary branches of the Fin Whale heart follow the general distribution common to other mammals. A large anastomosis of the two marginal and two main descending branches is noted at the apex of the heart. The right dorsal descending branch plays a greater role in the cardiac supply of this species than that it commonly plays in other mammals. The left ventral descending branch is protected by a unique shunt between itself and a large diagonal branch. The purpose of this report is to seize the unique opportunity presented by a recent Fin Whale stranding and clearly demonstrate for the first time the coronary arterial circulation of an adult Fin Whale.

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Alden Mead

Mario Addabbo


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