The Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is our planet's largest animal, reaching lengths of 66-98 ft and weights of 110-176 tons. Blue Whales are baleen whales. This group of whales is characterized by a set of baleen plates in their mouth that serve to filter prey from the water. The Blue Whale has grooves or folds of skin that run along the underside of its mouth, throat, and upper abdomen. The skin folds expand when the whale opens it mouth to scoop up prey.
Blue Whales are streamlined creatures with pale blue-gray coloration. In addition to being the largest animal, they are also capable of producing the loudest sound. Blue Whales moan, grunt, and hum at impressive volumes of up to 180 decibles. When diving from the surface, blue whales arc at near vertical angles, exposing their broad tail flukes. The power needed to propel themselves through the water comes from their back muscles, not from their flippers.
Classification:
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Cetacea
- Family: Balaenopteridae
- Genus: Balaenoptera
- Species: Balaenoptera musculus
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Habitat: Worldwide oceans and seas, excluding Arabian Gulf, Mediterranean, Baltic Sea, Red Sea.
Diet: Small crustaceans.
Status: Endangered.
References:
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
- Burnie, D. and D.E. Wilson. Animal. Dorling Kindersley. London. 2001.
- Balaenoptera musculus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology's Animal Diversity Web.
