Balaenoptera musculus (blue whale)
Specimen Images |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Cetartiodactyla (Cetaceans) |
| Family | Balaenopteridae |
| Genus | Balaenoptera |
| Species | Balaenoptera musculus |
| Common | blue whale |
| Diet | gulper, feeds on krill and other pelagic crustaceans |
| Habitat | Worldwide. Status: endangered. 360,000 whales killed between 1900-1960. |
| Description | Cetacean subgroup Mysticeti. Largest animal ever. Uniform bluish-gray body with some mottling post cranial. Numerous throat groves (50-90). Dorsal fin falcate to triangular, small and on last 3rd of dorsal surface. Large splash guard just cranial to blow holes and the rostrum large and flat. Long slender pectoral flippers. Size: 30+ m, 108 metric tons |
| Skull Characteristics | |
| Notes | Links to more species information:
Smithsonian Animal Diversity Web |