WoRMS taxon details
Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus, 1758)
137090 (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:137090)
accepted
Species
Balaena borealis Fischer, 1829 · unaccepted (synonym)
Balaena maximus · unaccepted
Balaena musculus Linnaeus, 1758 · unaccepted (basionym)
Balaenoptera carolinae Malm, 1866 · unaccepted (synonym)
Balaenoptera gigas Reinhardt, 1857 · unaccepted (synonym)
Balaenoptera indica Blyth, 1859 · unaccepted (synonym)
Balaenoptera jubartes Lacépède, 1804 · unaccepted (synonym)
Balaenoptera miramaris Lahille, 1898 · unaccepted (synonym)
Balaenoptera sibbaldi Van Beneden, 1887 · unaccepted (synonym)
Balaenoptera sibbaldii Flower, 1885 · unaccepted (synonym)
Physalus latirostris Flower, 1865 · unaccepted (synonym)
Physalus sibbaldii Gray, 1847 · unaccepted (synonym)
Pterobalaena gigas Reinhardt, 1857 · unaccepted (synonym)
Pterobalaena grypus Munter, 1877 · unaccepted (synonym)
Rorqualus boops F. Cuvier, 1836 · unaccepted (synonym)
Rorqualus borealis Hamilton, 1837 · unaccepted (synonym)
Rorqualus major Knox, 1870 · unaccepted (synonym)
Sibbaldius antarcticus Burmeister, 1866 · unaccepted (synonym)
Sibbaldius borealis Gray, 1864 · unaccepted (synonym)
Sibbaldius musculus Kellogg, 1929 · unaccepted (synonym)
- Subspecies Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda Ichihara, 1966
- Subspecies Balaenoptera musculus indica Blyth, 1859
- Subspecies Balaenoptera musculus intermedia Burmeister, 1872
- Subspecies Balaenoptera musculus musculus (Linnaeus, 1758)
marine, terrestrial
(of Balaena musculus Linnaeus, 1758) Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 76 [details] Available for editors
[request]
page(s): 76 [details] Available for editors
[request]
Note Firth of Forth, Scotland, UK
From editor or global species database
Type locality Firth of Forth, Scotland, UK [details]
Distribution in all oceans
Distribution Found in all oceans of the world. Antarctica/Southern Ocean; East Pacific; Eastern Atlantic Ocean; Indo-West Pacific;...
Distribution in all oceans [details]
Distribution Found in all oceans of the world. Antarctica/Southern Ocean; East Pacific; Eastern Atlantic Ocean; Indo-West Pacific;...
Distribution Found in all oceans of the world. Antarctica/Southern Ocean; East Pacific; Eastern Atlantic Ocean; Indo-West Pacific; Western Atlantic Ocean [details]
Fordyce, E.; Perrin, W.F. (2025). World Cetacea Database. Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=137090 on 2025-07-17
Date
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The webpage text is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution 4.0 License
Nomenclature
original description
(of Balaena musculus Linnaeus, 1758) Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 76 [details] Available for editors [request]
basis of record van der Land, J. (2001). Tetrapoda, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 375-376 (look up in IMIS) [details]
page(s): 76 [details] Available for editors
[request]basis of record van der Land, J. (2001). Tetrapoda, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 375-376 (look up in IMIS) [details]
Ecology
ecology source
Fioravanti, T.; Maio, N.; Latini, L.; Splendiani, A.; Guarino, F. M.; Mezzasalma, M.; Petraccioli, A.; Cozzi, B.; Mazzariol, S.; Centelleghe, C.; Sciancalepore, G.; Pietroluongo, G.; Podestà, M.; Caputo Barucchi, V. (2022). Nothing is as it seems: genetic analyses on stranded fin whales unveil the presence of a fin-blue whale hybrid in the Mediterranean Sea (Balaenopteridae). <em>The European Zoological Journal.</em> 89(1): 590-600., available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2022.2063426 [details] 
ecology source Looby, A.; Erbe, C.; Bravo, S.; Cox, K.; Davies, H. L.; Di Iorio, L.; Jézéquel, Y.; Juanes, F.; Martin, C. W.; Mooney, T. A.; Radford, C.; Reynolds, L. K.; Rice, A. N.; Riera, A.; Rountree, R.; Spriel, B.; Stanley, J.; Vela, S.; Parsons, M. J. G. (2023). Global inventory of species categorized by known underwater sonifery. <em>Scientific Data.</em> 10(1). (look up in IMIS), available online at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02745-4 [details]
ecology source Looby, A.; Erbe, C.; Bravo, S.; Cox, K.; Davies, H. L.; Di Iorio, L.; Jézéquel, Y.; Juanes, F.; Martin, C. W.; Mooney, T. A.; Radford, C.; Reynolds, L. K.; Rice, A. N.; Riera, A.; Rountree, R.; Spriel, B.; Stanley, J.; Vela, S.; Parsons, M. J. G. (2023). Global inventory of species categorized by known underwater sonifery. <em>Scientific Data.</em> 10(1). (look up in IMIS), available online at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02745-4 [details]
Other
context source (PeRMS)
Reyes, J. (2009). Ballenas, delfines y otros cetáceos del Perú. Una fuente de información. <em>Lima- Perú. Squema-Ediciones.</em> 160 pp. [details]
additional source Carwardine, M., E. Hoyt, R. E. Fordyce and P. Gill. 1998. Whales, dolphins and porpoises. Time-Life Books. Nature Company Guides, USA. 288 p. [details]
additional source Mead, J. G.; Brownell, R. L. Jr. (2005). Cetacea. <em>In Wilson, D.E. & D.M. Reeder (eds). Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed), Johns Hopkins University Press, 2,142 pp.</em> 723--743., available online at http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/ [details]
additional source Rice, D. W. (1998). Marine mammals of the world. Systematics and distribution. <em>Society for Marine Mammalogy Special Publication.</em> 4., available online at http://www.marinemammalscience.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/MarineMammalsOfTheWorld.pdf [details]
additional source Hershkovitz, P. (1966). Catalog of Living Whales. <em>Bulletin of the United States National Museum.</em> (246): 1-259., available online at https://doi.org/10.5479/si.03629236.246 [details]
additional source Jefferson, T. A., M. A. Webber and R. L. Pitman. (2008). Marine mammals of the world. Academic Press, Amsterdam. [details]
additional source Perrin, W.F.; Würsig, B.; Thewissen, J.G.M. (2009). Encyclopedia of marine mammals. Second edition. Academic Press: London. ISBN 978-0-12-373553-9. xxix, 1316 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source King, C.M.; Roberts, C.D.; Bell, B.D.; Fordyce, R.E.; Nicoll, R.S.; Worthy, T.H.; Paulin, C.D.; Hitchmough, R.A.; Keyes, I.W.; Baker, A.N.; Stewart, A.L.; Hiller, N.; McDowall, R.M.; Holdaway, R.N.; McPhee, R.P.; Schwarzhans, W.W.; Tennyson, A.J.D.; Rust, S.; Macadie, I. (2009). Phylum Chordata: lancelets, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals. <em>in: Gordon, D.P. (Ed.) (2009). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: 1. Kingdom Animalia: Radiata, Lophotrochozoa, Deuterostomia.</em> pp. 431-554. [details]
additional source Carwardine, M., E. Hoyt, R. E. Fordyce and P. Gill. 1998. Whales, dolphins and porpoises. Time-Life Books. Nature Company Guides, USA. 288 p. [details]
additional source Mead, J. G.; Brownell, R. L. Jr. (2005). Cetacea. <em>In Wilson, D.E. & D.M. Reeder (eds). Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed), Johns Hopkins University Press, 2,142 pp.</em> 723--743., available online at http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/ [details]
additional source Rice, D. W. (1998). Marine mammals of the world. Systematics and distribution. <em>Society for Marine Mammalogy Special Publication.</em> 4., available online at http://www.marinemammalscience.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/MarineMammalsOfTheWorld.pdf [details]
additional source Hershkovitz, P. (1966). Catalog of Living Whales. <em>Bulletin of the United States National Museum.</em> (246): 1-259., available online at https://doi.org/10.5479/si.03629236.246 [details]
additional source Jefferson, T. A., M. A. Webber and R. L. Pitman. (2008). Marine mammals of the world. Academic Press, Amsterdam. [details]
additional source Perrin, W.F.; Würsig, B.; Thewissen, J.G.M. (2009). Encyclopedia of marine mammals. Second edition. Academic Press: London. ISBN 978-0-12-373553-9. xxix, 1316 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source King, C.M.; Roberts, C.D.; Bell, B.D.; Fordyce, R.E.; Nicoll, R.S.; Worthy, T.H.; Paulin, C.D.; Hitchmough, R.A.; Keyes, I.W.; Baker, A.N.; Stewart, A.L.; Hiller, N.; McDowall, R.M.; Holdaway, R.N.; McPhee, R.P.; Schwarzhans, W.W.; Tennyson, A.J.D.; Rust, S.; Macadie, I. (2009). Phylum Chordata: lancelets, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals. <em>in: Gordon, D.P. (Ed.) (2009). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: 1. Kingdom Animalia: Radiata, Lophotrochozoa, Deuterostomia.</em> pp. 431-554. [details]
Present Present in aphia/obis/gbif/idigbio Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
From editor or global species database
Holotype None; based primarily on Balaena fistula duplici of Artedi, 1738. [details]IUCN Red List Category Endangered (EN); Antarctic population Critically Endangered (CR) [details]
Morphology Distinguishing characteristics: colour slate blue to grayish blue and mottled with lighter spots, particularly on the back and shoulders. Underside often covered with microorganisms, giving the belly a yellowish tinge. dorsal fin short, only about 35 cm, and placed far back on the body. Upper jaw is the widest in the genus, and the rostrum is the bluntest. There are 50-90 throat grooves that extend from the chin to just beyond the navel. Average length is adult males is 25 m and females is 27m. Largest animal in the world. [details]
Type locality Firth of Forth, Scotland, UK [details]
Unreviewed
Diet euphausiids with some squid, amphipods, copepods, red crabs [details]Dimensions Length: male 65 1/2' -101 1/2' (20-31 m), female 69-110' (21-33.6 m), at birth 19 1/2' + (5.9 m+) [details]
Distribution in all oceans [details]
Distribution Found in all oceans of the world. Antarctica/Southern Ocean; East Pacific; Eastern Atlantic Ocean; Indo-West Pacific; Western Atlantic Ocean [details]
Habitat offshore [details]
Habitat mostly offshore but also near the coast [details]
Predators None [details]
Reproduction Gestation is 11-12 months long with young born in warm, low latitude waters in the winter months after the adults return from their high latitude feeding grounds. Weaned: 7-8 months. Sexual maturity occurs at 8-9 years and young are produced every 2-3 years. [details]
| Language | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| Afrikaans | blouwalvis | [details] |
| Aleut | omgoliaabugulikh | [details] |
| Catalan | balena blava | [details] |
| Chukot | tnmerken-uiiutakhvorkhrikh | [details] |
| Czech | plejtvák obrovský | [details] |
| Dutch | blauwe vinvis | [details] |
| English | sulphurbottom whaleSibbald's rorqualOstende whalegreat rorqualgreat northern rorqualgreat blue whalefinny whalecommon rorqualblue whaleblue rorqual | [details] |
| French | rorqual de Sibbaldrorqual bleubaleine jubartebaleine d'Ostendbaleine bleue | [details] |
| German | SchwefelbauchwalSchanelwalRiesenwalBlauwal | [details] |
| Icelandic | steypireydrhrefnahafreydur | [details] |
| Indonesian | paus birulaylan agi | [details] |
| Italian | balenottera azzura | [details] |
| Japanese | シロナガスクジラsiro nagasu kujira | [details] |
| Kalaallisut | tunnolik | [details] |
| Korean | daewang-gorae | [details] |
| Malagasy | trozona manga | [details] |
| Norwegian | rörqualheipe-reydurblaahval | [details] |
| Portuguese | baleia azul | [details] |
| Russian | sinii kitgoluboi kitbolshoi polosatikblyuval | [details] |
| Spanish | rorcual giganterorcual azulkilagran rorcalballena azulalfawarealfaguara | [details] |
| Swedish | muskel finnfiskjattenhvalblaval | [details] |
| Yupik languages | takyshkoktakerrkak | [details] |
http://www.marinemammals.gov.au/sorp
Marine Life Information Network - UK
To Barcode of Life (5 barcodes)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (12 publications) (from synonym Balaena maximus)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (18 publications) (from synonym Rorqualus borealis Hamilton, 1837)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (19 publications) (from synonym Balaenoptera gigas Reinhardt, 1857)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (20 publications) (from synonym Balaena borealis Fischer, 1829)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (25 publications) (from synonym Balaenoptera jubartes Lacépède, 1804)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (27 publications) (from synonym Sibbaldius antarcticus Burmeister, 1866)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (28 publications) (from synonym Pterobalaena gigas Reinhardt, 1857)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (30 publications) (from synonym Balaenoptera sibbaldi Van Beneden, 1887)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (33 publications) (from synonym Balaenoptera indica Blyth, 1859)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (34 publications) (from synonym Physalus latirostris Flower, 1865)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (350 publications)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (4 publications) (from synonym Balaenoptera miramaris Lahille, 1898)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (6 publications) (from synonym Balaenoptera carolinae Malm, 1866)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (8 publications) (from synonym Rorqualus major Knox, 1870)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (89 publications) (from synonym Balaena musculus Linnaeus, 1758)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (9 publications) (from synonym Rorqualus boops F. Cuvier, 1836)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (93 publications) (from synonym Balaenoptera sibbaldii Flower, 1885)
To Biological Information System for Marine Life (BISMaL)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Balaenoptera musculus)
To GenBank (70521 nucleotides; 54766 proteins) (from synonym Balaena musculus Linnaeus, 1758)
To Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI)
To PESI
To ITIS
Marine Life Information Network - UK
To Barcode of Life (5 barcodes)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (12 publications) (from synonym Balaena maximus)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (18 publications) (from synonym Rorqualus borealis Hamilton, 1837)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (19 publications) (from synonym Balaenoptera gigas Reinhardt, 1857)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (20 publications) (from synonym Balaena borealis Fischer, 1829)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (25 publications) (from synonym Balaenoptera jubartes Lacépède, 1804)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (27 publications) (from synonym Sibbaldius antarcticus Burmeister, 1866)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (28 publications) (from synonym Pterobalaena gigas Reinhardt, 1857)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (30 publications) (from synonym Balaenoptera sibbaldi Van Beneden, 1887)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (33 publications) (from synonym Balaenoptera indica Blyth, 1859)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (34 publications) (from synonym Physalus latirostris Flower, 1865)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (350 publications)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (4 publications) (from synonym Balaenoptera miramaris Lahille, 1898)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (6 publications) (from synonym Balaenoptera carolinae Malm, 1866)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (8 publications) (from synonym Rorqualus major Knox, 1870)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (89 publications) (from synonym Balaena musculus Linnaeus, 1758)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (9 publications) (from synonym Rorqualus boops F. Cuvier, 1836)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (93 publications) (from synonym Balaenoptera sibbaldii Flower, 1885)
To Biological Information System for Marine Life (BISMaL)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Balaenoptera musculus)
To GenBank (70521 nucleotides; 54766 proteins) (from synonym Balaena musculus Linnaeus, 1758)
To Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI)
To PESI
To ITIS
From editor or global species database
