Balaenoptera musculus
Dublin Core
Title
Balaenoptera musculus
Subject
Taxonomy
Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Cetacea
Family : Balaenopteridae
Genus : Balaenoptera
Species : Balaenoptera musculus
Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Cetacea
Family : Balaenopteridae
Genus : Balaenoptera
Species : Balaenoptera musculus
Common name/ vernacular name
- Blue Whale
- Pygmy Blue Whale (English)
Description
Morphology/ physical description
Blue whales are slate to grayish blue and mottled with lighter spots, particularly on the back and shoulders. The undersides often become covered with microorganisms, giving the belly a yellowish tinge. Because of this blue whales are sometimes called "sulphurbottoms". The dorsal fin is short, only about 35 cm. The upper jaw is the widest in the genus, and the rostrum is the bluntest.
Blue whales are slate to grayish blue and mottled with lighter spots, particularly on the back and shoulders. The undersides often become covered with microorganisms, giving the belly a yellowish tinge. Because of this blue whales are sometimes called "sulphurbottoms". The dorsal fin is short, only about 35 cm. The upper jaw is the widest in the genus, and the rostrum is the bluntest.
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Endangered
Endangered
Ecosystem role
Blue whales, and other large baleen whales, are important predators of krill.
Blue whales, and other large baleen whales, are important predators of krill.
Economic importance
Blue whales were formerly heavily hunted for blubber and oil. Because of the immensity of blue whales, only sperm whales approached them in economic importance. A single blue whale could yield 70 or 80 barrels of oil. Baleen was also an important whale product, valued for its plastic like properties that were applied in a wide variety of products.
Blue whales were formerly heavily hunted for blubber and oil. Because of the immensity of blue whales, only sperm whales approached them in economic importance. A single blue whale could yield 70 or 80 barrels of oil. Baleen was also an important whale product, valued for its plastic like properties that were applied in a wide variety of products.
Creator
Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Source
Publisher
Intan Rabitah Mustafa
Contributor
Intan Rabitah Mustafa
Language
English
Collection
Citation
Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus, 1758), “Balaenoptera musculus,” BIDARA, accessed February 4, 2026, https://bidara.uthm.edu.my/items/show/34.