Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus 1758)

[Balaena] musculus Linnaeus 1758, Syst. Nat., 10th ed., Vol. 1: 76.

Type Locality: UK, Scotland, Firth of Forth ("Habitat in Mari Scotico").

Vernacular Names: Blue Whale.

Synonyms: Balaenoptera sulfurous Cope 1869 .

Subspecies::

Subspecies Balaenoptera musculus subsp. musculus Linnaeus 1758

Subspecies Balaenoptera musculus subsp. brevicauda Ichihara 1966

Subspecies Balaenoptera musculus subsp. indica Blyth 1859

Subspecies Balaenoptera musculus subsp. intermedia Burmeister 1871

Distribution: Worldwide: arctic to tropical waters.

Conservation: CITES – Appendix I; U.S. ESA – Endangered; IUCN – Endangered as B. m. intermedia, Data Deficient as B. m. brevicauda; Endangered as B. musculus except – Vulnerable (North Atlantic stock), Lower Risk (cd) (North Pacific stock).

Discussion: Reviewed by Yochem and Leatherwood (1985). Rice (1998:78) recognized B. m. musculus (Northern Blue Whale), B. m. indica (Great Indian Rorqual), B. m. brevicauda (Pygmy Blue Whale) and B. m. intermedia (Southern Blue Whale).