Right whales are important predators of krill and microcrustacean faunas. The relative rarity of north Pacific right whales may mean that their impact on these faunas is currently small. Right whales have communities of barnacles and whale lice on their bodies. Whale lice are abundant on the callosities along the lips and tend to accumulate around wounds, as do amphipods. Barnacles have also been found on the callosities of north Atlantic and southern right whales, but no evidence has shown the presence of these barnacles of north Pacific right whales. Right whales are thought to use breaching to try and dislodge parasites. Right whales also have a low infestation rate of endoparasites, including Priapocephauls grandis, Bolbosoma brevicolle, and Bolbosoma turbinella.

Commensal/Parasitic Species:

• barnacles Cirripedia
• whale lice Cyamidae
• Priapocephauls grandis
• Bolbosoma brevicolle
• Bolbosoma turbinella