The genus
Balaenoptera contains the following extant species and subspecies: •
Common minke whale (
Balaenoptera acutorostrata) •
North Atlantic minke whale (
Balaenoptera acutorostrata acutorostrata) •
North Pacific minke whale (
Balaenoptera acutorostrata scammoni) •
Antarctic minke whale (
Balaenoptera bonaerensis) •
Sei whale (
Balaenoptera borealis) •
Northern sei whale (
Balaenoptera borealis borealis) •
Southern sei whale (
Balaenoptera borealis schlegelii) •
Bryde's whale (
Balaenoptera edeni) •
Offshore Bryde's whale (
Balaenoptera brydei or
Balaenoptera edeni brydei) (taxonomy disputed) •
Eden's whale (
Balaenoptera edeni edeni) •
Blue whale (
Balaenoptera musculus) •
Northern blue whale (
Balaenoptera musculus musculus) •
Antarctic blue whale (
Balaenoptera musculus intermedia) •
Northern Indian Ocean blue whale (
Balaenoptera musculus indica) •
Pygmy blue whale (
Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) •
Omura's whale (
Balaenoptera omurai) •
Fin whale (
Balaenoptera physalus) •
Pygmy fin whale (
Balaenoptera physalus patachonica) •
North Atlantic fin whale (
Balaenoptera physalus physalus) •
Southern fin whale (
Balaenoptera physalus quoyi) •
North Pacific fin whale (
Balaenoptera physalus velifera) •
Rice's whale (
Balaenoptera ricei)
Fossil species Many fossil
Balaenoptera species have been described. Some (namely
B. borealina,
B. definata,
B. emarginata,
B. gibbosa,
B. rostratella, and
B. sibbaldina) are either nondiagnostic, highly fragmentary, or had no
holotype specimen named, hence are considered
nomina dubia. The valid fossil species of
Balaenoptera are: • †
Balaenoptera bertae is a relatively small species from the
Upper Miocene to
Upper Pliocene Purisima Formation of
California. • †
Balaenoptera cephalus was originally thought to be a species of
Eschrichtius (gray whales) or
Cetotherium, but more recent analysis shows it to be a member of
Balaenoptera. Fossils of the species were found in the
Calvert Formation of
Maryland. • †
Balaenoptera colcloughi is known from four specimens, including four skulls and some
postcranial remains, found at the
San Diego Formation. It was a close relative of
Megaptera novaeangliae (the humpback whale),
B. siberi, and
B. physalus (the fin whale). • †
"Balaenoptera" cortesii is a small species based on a juvenile specimen from
Montezago; it probably represents a distinct, unnamed genus of balaenopterid. The only known fossil of
B. davidsonii is a fragment of the left
dentary. • †
"Balaenoptera" portisi is based on MGPT 13803 from
Montafia (originally assigned to
B. cortesii by Portis [1885]), and may be the same genus or species as
Cetotheriophanes capellinii. The species
"B. floridana" is indistinguishable from
"B." portisi. • †
Balaenoptera sursiplana is a fragmentary species, based on a single fossilized
tympanic bone. • †
Balaenoptera taiwanica is named after
Taiwan, where the fossil was found in the Pliocene-aged
Cholan Formation.
B. taiwanica is also based on a single
tympanic bone, which is similar to that of
B. physalus, the
fin whale. == References ==