Balaenoptera brydei
Encyclopedia
Balaenoptera brydei is a species of cetacea
n, marine mammals, in a complex group known as the Bryde’s Whales. They are the least-known and in many ways the most unusual of the rorqual
s. They are small by rorqual standards—no more than about 25 tonnes—prefer tropical and temperate waters to the polar seas that other whale
s in their family
frequent; are largely coastal rather than pelagic, and although they retain the characteristic plates of whalebone
that the Mysticeti use to sieve small creatures from the waters with, their diet is composed almost entirely of fish.
The Bryde’s whale is named for the Norwegian consul to South Africa, Johan Bryde
, who helped set up the first whaling station in Durban, South Africa in 1908.
Bryde’s whales feed on pelagic
schooling fish, such as anchovy
, herring
and sardine
.
They are distributed widely throughout tropical and subtropical waters, with a separate, smaller, pygmy species found in tropical Western Pacific and South-East Asia.
s (Balaenoptera borealis), and almost as large, and commercial whaling
harvests termed all these as Bryde's whale until the 1970s. Specimens of Balaenoptera omurai
have also been identified by the common name
'Bryde's whale'. The taxa are poorly known and further research is required to resolve the arrangements of these sister groups.
Phylogenetic evidence suggests that it is closely related to B. edeni, but they may be separated as sister species. The names and distribution of these may be summarised as:
However, a recommendation to the International Whaling Commission
in 2006 suggested B. brydei should be recognised and named B. edeni. Likewise, MSW3 list this name as a synonym, but acknowledges the earlier revision (Rice, 1998). The authors note further confusion over which of the proposed species is the smaller, the lack of a type specimen, and the need to split B. omurai if revised. The database ITIS
lists all three as valid taxa, with a similar caveat on Balaenoptera systematics.
Balaenoptera edeni described a stranded specimen on the coast of Burma in 1878. In 1913 whales off the coast of South Africa
were described as Balaenoptera brydei; the name commemorates Johan Bryde, a Norwegian
consul and pioneer of the South African whaling
industry.
By the 1950s, it was thought that they were a single species
, which became B. edeni (because the first proposed name for any species always has priority) but retained Bryde's Whale as the common name. Recent genetic work, however, indicates that there are in fact two separate species:
"Bryde" is pronounced ˈ , and "Bryde's whale" is sometimes misheard as "brutus whale". Five different types have been identified, including at least two smaller ones that tend to stay closer inshore. Alas from the point of view of taxonomic simplicity, DNA testing shows that the newly confirmed pygmy species of South-east Asia is not the same as the similar-looking small form found in the Caribbean
. Complicating matters still further, there are forms which appear to be intermediate between Bryde's Whale and the Sei Whale
.
The conservation status of Balaenoptera brydei may be listed and discussed as a subgroup of B. edeni; it is listed as Data Deficient
by the IUCN, and by CITES Appendix I, which prohibits international trade.
is around half a meter. This species is also described as a smaller coastal dwelling form of the latter.
In general, Bryde's Whales have a very broad and short head, with between 40 and 70 ventral grooves, and relatively large eyes.
The Bryde’s whale is in the rorqual
family (Balaenopteridae) of baleen whales and is unique amongst these in that it has three longitudinal ridges on its head, from the tip of the snout back to the blowhole – the other rorquals have just one ridge.
The whale has twin blowholes with a low splashguard to the front. Like other rorquals it has no teeth but has two rows of baleen plates.
The prominently curved, pointed dorsal fin is readily seen when a Bryde's Whale surfaces. The flippers are small and slender; the broad, centrally notched tail flukes never break the surface.
Colour varies: the back is generally dark grey or blue to black, the ventral area a lighter cream, shading to greyish purple on the belly. Some have a number of whitish-grey spots, which may be scars from parasites or shark attacks.
Bryde’s whales are believed to breed year round and their gestation period is estimated to be 12 months. Calves are about 4 m (13-ft) long at birth and weigh 1,000 kg.
Cetacea
The order Cetacea includes the marine mammals commonly known as whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Cetus is Latin and is used in biological names to mean "whale"; its original meaning, "large sea animal", was more general. It comes from Ancient Greek , meaning "whale" or "any huge fish or sea...
n, marine mammals, in a complex group known as the Bryde’s Whales. They are the least-known and in many ways the most unusual of the rorqual
Rorqual
Rorquals are the largest group of baleen whales, with nine species in two genera. They include the largest animal that has ever lived, the Blue Whale, which can reach , and another that easily reaches ; even the smallest of the group, the Northern Minke Whale, reaches .-Characteristics:Rorquals...
s. They are small by rorqual standards—no more than about 25 tonnes—prefer tropical and temperate waters to the polar seas that other whale
Whale
Whale is the common name for various marine mammals of the order Cetacea. The term whale sometimes refers to all cetaceans, but more often it excludes dolphins and porpoises, which belong to suborder Odontoceti . This suborder also includes the sperm whale, killer whale, pilot whale, and beluga...
s in their family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
frequent; are largely coastal rather than pelagic, and although they retain the characteristic plates of whalebone
Baleen
Baleen or whalebone is a filter-feeder system inside the mouths of baleen whales. The baleen system works when a whale opens its mouth underwater and then water pours into the whale's mouth. The whale then pushes the water out, and animals such as krill are filtered by the baleen and remain as food...
that the Mysticeti use to sieve small creatures from the waters with, their diet is composed almost entirely of fish.
The Bryde’s whale is named for the Norwegian consul to South Africa, Johan Bryde
Johan Bryde
Johan Bryde was a Norwegian ship-owner, whaler and businessperson. Bryde's whale is named after him.He was born in Laurvig. He founded a shipping company in Sandefjord in 1890. Whaling was the foremost business in Sandefjord, and from 1908 Bryde managed whaling out of Southern Africa.Bryde is also...
, who helped set up the first whaling station in Durban, South Africa in 1908.
Bryde’s whales feed on pelagic
Pelagic zone
Any water in a sea or lake that is not close to the bottom or near to the shore can be said to be in the pelagic zone. The word pelagic comes from the Greek πέλαγος or pélagos, which means "open sea". The pelagic zone can be thought of in terms of an imaginary cylinder or water column that goes...
schooling fish, such as anchovy
Anchovy
Anchovies are a family of small, common salt-water forage fish. There are 144 species in 17 genera, found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. Anchovies are usually classified as an oily fish.-Description:...
, herring
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
and sardine
Sardine
Sardines, or pilchards, are several types of small, oily fish related to herrings, family Clupeidae. Sardines are named after the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, around which they were once abundant....
.
They are distributed widely throughout tropical and subtropical waters, with a separate, smaller, pygmy species found in tropical Western Pacific and South-East Asia.
Taxonomy
The population currently described as Balaenoptera brydei is part of a group with taxonomic confusion resulting from disputed systematics and misidentification, sometimes termed the Balaenoptera edeni complex after the early description Balaenoptera edeni Anderson, 1879. The group are very similar in appearance to Sei WhaleSei Whale
The sei whale , Balaenoptera borealis, is a baleen whale, the third-largest rorqual after the blue whale and the fin whale. It inhabits most oceans and adjoining seas, and prefers deep offshore waters. It avoids polar and tropical waters and semi-enclosed bodies of water...
s (Balaenoptera borealis), and almost as large, and commercial whaling
Whaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
harvests termed all these as Bryde's whale until the 1970s. Specimens of Balaenoptera omurai
Balaenoptera omurai
Omura's whale is a species of rorqual about which very little is known.The scientific description of this whale was made in the November 20, 2003, edition of Nature by three Japanese scientists, Shiro Wada, Masayuki Oishi and Tadasu K. Yamada...
have also been identified by the common name
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
'Bryde's whale'. The taxa are poorly known and further research is required to resolve the arrangements of these sister groups.
Phylogenetic evidence suggests that it is closely related to B. edeni, but they may be separated as sister species. The names and distribution of these may be summarised as:
- Balaenoptera brydei, Bryde’s Whale. A worldwide tropical and semi-tropical distribution, grows to 26 tonnes and 15 metres long.
- Balaenoptera edeni; Eden's Whale, small-type Bryde's Whale, Pygmy Bryde's Whale. Found in coastal waters of the eastern IndianIndian OceanThe Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
and western Pacific oceans.
However, a recommendation to the International Whaling Commission
International Whaling Commission
The International Whaling Commission is an international body set up by the terms of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling , which was signed in Washington, D.C...
in 2006 suggested B. brydei should be recognised and named B. edeni. Likewise, MSW3 list this name as a synonym, but acknowledges the earlier revision (Rice, 1998). The authors note further confusion over which of the proposed species is the smaller, the lack of a type specimen, and the need to split B. omurai if revised. The database ITIS
Itis
Itis may refer to* Integrated Taxonomic Information System, a partnership designed to provide consistent and reliable information on the taxonomy of biological species...
lists all three as valid taxa, with a similar caveat on Balaenoptera systematics.
Balaenoptera edeni described a stranded specimen on the coast of Burma in 1878. In 1913 whales off the coast of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
were described as Balaenoptera brydei; the name commemorates Johan Bryde, a Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
consul and pioneer of the South African whaling
Whaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
industry.
By the 1950s, it was thought that they were a single species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, which became B. edeni (because the first proposed name for any species always has priority) but retained Bryde's Whale as the common name. Recent genetic work, however, indicates that there are in fact two separate species:
"Bryde" is pronounced ˈ , and "Bryde's whale" is sometimes misheard as "brutus whale". Five different types have been identified, including at least two smaller ones that tend to stay closer inshore. Alas from the point of view of taxonomic simplicity, DNA testing shows that the newly confirmed pygmy species of South-east Asia is not the same as the similar-looking small form found in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. Complicating matters still further, there are forms which appear to be intermediate between Bryde's Whale and the Sei Whale
Sei Whale
The sei whale , Balaenoptera borealis, is a baleen whale, the third-largest rorqual after the blue whale and the fin whale. It inhabits most oceans and adjoining seas, and prefers deep offshore waters. It avoids polar and tropical waters and semi-enclosed bodies of water...
.
The conservation status of Balaenoptera brydei may be listed and discussed as a subgroup of B. edeni; it is listed as Data Deficient
Data Deficient
Data Deficient is a category applied by the IUCN, other agencies, and individuals to a species when the available information is not sufficient for a proper assessment of conservation status to be made...
by the IUCN, and by CITES Appendix I, which prohibits international trade.
Description
The descriptions of Balaenoptera brydei are complicated by its systematic arrangement and lack of research. The species is a smaller member of the family, up to 11.5 metres (37-ft), whereas B. edeni reaches 15.5 (50-ft), male and female dimorphismSexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
is around half a meter. This species is also described as a smaller coastal dwelling form of the latter.
In general, Bryde's Whales have a very broad and short head, with between 40 and 70 ventral grooves, and relatively large eyes.
The Bryde’s whale is in the rorqual
Rorqual
Rorquals are the largest group of baleen whales, with nine species in two genera. They include the largest animal that has ever lived, the Blue Whale, which can reach , and another that easily reaches ; even the smallest of the group, the Northern Minke Whale, reaches .-Characteristics:Rorquals...
family (Balaenopteridae) of baleen whales and is unique amongst these in that it has three longitudinal ridges on its head, from the tip of the snout back to the blowhole – the other rorquals have just one ridge.
The whale has twin blowholes with a low splashguard to the front. Like other rorquals it has no teeth but has two rows of baleen plates.
The prominently curved, pointed dorsal fin is readily seen when a Bryde's Whale surfaces. The flippers are small and slender; the broad, centrally notched tail flukes never break the surface.
Colour varies: the back is generally dark grey or blue to black, the ventral area a lighter cream, shading to greyish purple on the belly. Some have a number of whitish-grey spots, which may be scars from parasites or shark attacks.
Bryde’s whales are believed to breed year round and their gestation period is estimated to be 12 months. Calves are about 4 m (13-ft) long at birth and weigh 1,000 kg.
Specific occurrences
- On August 23, 2007, a large whale with wounds in several parts of its body was found dead in waters off the town of Tagdon, Barcelona in SorsogonSorsogonSorsogon is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region; it is the southernmost province in Luzon and is subdivided into fourteen municipalities and one city. Its capital is Sorsogon City and borders the province of Albay to the north...
province in the PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The 13-meter (42-ft) long, 7-ton corpse was later identified to be a Bryde's whale. This particular species is known to frequent the coastal waters of the central Philippines, specifically the waters off SiquijorSiquijorSiquijor is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Its capital is the municipality also named Siquijor. To the northwest of Siquijor are Cebu and Negros, to the northeast is Bohol and to the south, across the Bohol Sea, is Mindanao.Siquijor is the third...
, BoholBoholBohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, consisting of Bohol Island and 75 minor surrounding islands. Its capital is Tagbilaran City. With a land area of and a coastline long, Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines...
, PalawanPalawanPalawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region or Region 4. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro in the northeast to Borneo in the...
and CamiguinCamiguinCamiguin is an island province of the Philippines located in the Bohol Sea, about off the northern coast of Misamis Oriental in Mindanao. It is the second-smallest province both in population and land area after Batanes...
.
- On October 13, 2008, a 10-meter (33-ft) long, 3-ton live Bryde's whale was found beached in the estuary of the Nenasi River, Pekan, Malaysia. Despite the attempts of the villagers to save it, the whale died.
External links
- Bryde's Whale – American Cetacean Society
- Bahamian High School Students Attend to Beached Whale in Abaco in February 2008