Blue-Green color and composition of stejneger's beaked whale (Mesoplodon stejnegeri) milk

1. 1. Two hundred ml of milk were obtained from a lactating Stejneger's beaked whale stranded at Ninilchik, Alaska on 21 Oct, 1980. 2. 2. Total solids (41%) were similar to values reported for sperm and belukha whales, while fat (17%) was half as great and crude protein (17%) was 2-4 times greater than in milk of these species. Lactose was not detected. 3. 3. Calcium (0.22%) was greater than reported for pigmy sperm whales but less than for blue whales. Phosphorus (0.07%) was less than for any of the above species. Sodium and potassium concentrations were 0.13% and 0.11%, respectively. 4. 4. Values (μg/g) for other elements analyzed (magnesium, 42; iron, 35; copper, 2.6; zinc, 1.5; manganese, 0.3; selenium, 0.36) have not been reported for whale milk. 5. 5. Based on SDS-gel electropherograms, this whale milk did not contain a whey protein corresponding to cattle milk α-lactalbumin. 6. 6. A blue-green pigment in the milk was identified as biliverdin.