Taxa

Balaenopteridae

Mammal Families

The rorquals: baleen whales with pleated throat grooves that expand enormously during lunge-feeding, allowing an enormous volume of water and prey to be engulfed in a single mouthful. Balaenopteridae includes the blue whale and the humpback whale.

Facts
Taxonomic Rank
Family 2
Scientific Name
Balaenopteridae 2
Member Count Band
Under 10 Species 3
Era First Appeared
Paleogene 4
Disputed
Member Species/Taxa Count
9 2
Approximate described-species (or, for a genus, described-taxon) count; continually revised as species are newly described, reclassified or synonymized.
Classification
Living or Extinct
Yes 1
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Cetacea, Taxa
Source Catalogue of Life

Parent Taxon Of

"Balaenoptera" ryani, Species
Source Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Balaenoptera ryani
Antarctic Minke Whale, Species
Source Antarctic minke whale (Wikipedia)
Archaebalaenoptera castriarquati, Species
Source Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Archaebalaenoptera castriarquati
Archaebalaenoptera liesselensis, Species
Source Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Archaebalaenoptera liesselensis
Balaenoptera bertae, Species
Source Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Balaenoptera bertae
Balaenoptera siberi, Species
Source Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Balaenoptera siberi
Blue Whale, Species
Source Catalogue of Life
Bryde's Whale, Species
Source Bryde's whale (Wikipedia)
Cetotheriophanes capellinii, Species
Source Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Cetotheriophanes capellinii
Common Minke Whale, Species
Source Common minke whale (Wikipedia)
Diunatans luctoretemergo, Species
Source Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Diunatans luctoretemergo
Fin Whale, Species
Source Catalogue of Life
Humpback Whale, Species
Source Catalogue of Life
Incakujira anillodefuego, Species
Source Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Incakujira anillodefuego
Incakujira fordycei, Species
Source Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Incakujira fordycei
Miobalaenoptera numataensis, Species
Source Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Miobalaenoptera numataensis
Omura's Whale, Species
Source Omura's whale (Wikipedia)
Parabalaenoptera baulinensis, Species
Source Parabalaenoptera (Wikipedia)
Plesiobalaenoptera quarantellii, Species
Source Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Plesiobalaenoptera quarantellii
Protororqualus cuvieri, Species
Source Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Protororqualus cuvieri
Rice's Whale, Species
Source Rice's whale (Wikipedia)
Sei Whale, Species
Source Sei whale (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)
Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ232829, descriptionView the Source
2. Catalogue of Life
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life
  • Taxonomic Rank: Family
  • Scientific Name: Balaenopteridae
  • Member Species/Taxa Count: 9
View the Source
3. Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank): Taxon metrics for Balaenopteridae
Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank)Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCount
Quote, Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCount
"speciesExtantCount": 9
View the Source
4. Paleobiology Database: Taxon record for Balaenopteridae
Paleobiology DatabaseTaxon record, first appearance (firstapp_max_ma, early_interval)
Quote, Taxon record, first appearance (firstapp_max_ma, early_interval)
"taxon_name": "Balaenopteridae" ... "firstapp_max_ma": 27.3 ... "early_interval": "Chattian"
View the Source
Wikidata: Balaenopteridae
Wikidata Q232829, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Sei whale (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Sei Whale, Taxonomy
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Sei Whale, Taxonomy
Sei whales are rorquals (family Balaenopteridae)
View the Source
Bryde's whale (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Bryde's Whale, External appearance, rorqual
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Bryde's Whale, External appearance, rorqual
more specifically a rorqual belonging to the same group as blue whales and humpback whales
View the Source
Omura's whale (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Omura's Whale, Lead, rorqual
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Omura's Whale, Lead, rorqual
is a species of rorqual about which very little is known
View the Source
Rice's whale (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Rice's Whale, Description, rorqual
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Rice's Whale, Description, rorqual
It is an intermediate-sized rorqual
View the Source
Common minke whale (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Common Minke Whale, Lead, rorqual
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Common Minke Whale, Lead, rorqual
It is the smallest species of the rorquals
View the Source
Antarctic minke whale (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Antarctic Minke Whale, Lead, rorqual
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Antarctic Minke Whale, Lead, rorqual
It is the second smallest rorqual after the common minke whale
View the Source
Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Balaenoptera siberi
Paleobiology DatabaseParent Taxon Of: Balaenoptera siberi, Classification, family (fml)
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Balaenoptera siberi, Classification, family (fml)
"fml": "Balaenopteridae"
View the Source
Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Balaenoptera bertae
Paleobiology DatabaseParent Taxon Of: Balaenoptera bertae, Classification, family (fml)
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Balaenoptera bertae, Classification, family (fml)
"fml": "Balaenopteridae"
View the Source
Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Balaenoptera ryani
Paleobiology DatabaseParent Taxon Of: "Balaenoptera" ryani, Classification, family (fml)
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: "Balaenoptera" ryani, Classification, family (fml)
"fml": "Balaenopteridae"
View the Source
Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Plesiobalaenoptera quarantellii
Paleobiology DatabaseParent Taxon Of: Plesiobalaenoptera quarantellii, Classification, family (fml)
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Plesiobalaenoptera quarantellii, Classification, family (fml)
"fml": "Balaenopteridae"
View the Source
Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Archaebalaenoptera castriarquati
Paleobiology DatabaseParent Taxon Of: Archaebalaenoptera castriarquati, Classification, family (fml)
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Archaebalaenoptera castriarquati, Classification, family (fml)
"fml": "Balaenopteridae"
View the Source
Parabalaenoptera (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Parabalaenoptera baulinensis, Lead, family
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Parabalaenoptera baulinensis, Lead, family
also part of the Balaenopteridae family
View the Source
Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Miobalaenoptera numataensis
Paleobiology DatabaseParent Taxon Of: Miobalaenoptera numataensis, Classification, family (fml)
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Miobalaenoptera numataensis, Classification, family (fml)
"fml": "Balaenopteridae"
View the Source
Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Protororqualus cuvieri
Paleobiology DatabaseParent Taxon Of: Protororqualus cuvieri, Classification, family (fml)
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Protororqualus cuvieri, Classification, family (fml)
"fml": "Balaenopteridae"
View the Source
Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Archaebalaenoptera liesselensis
Paleobiology DatabaseParent Taxon Of: Archaebalaenoptera liesselensis, Classification, family (fml)
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Archaebalaenoptera liesselensis, Classification, family (fml)
"fml": "Balaenopteridae"
View the Source
Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Incakujira anillodefuego
Paleobiology DatabaseParent Taxon Of: Incakujira anillodefuego, Classification, family (fml)
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Incakujira anillodefuego, Classification, family (fml)
"fml": "Balaenopteridae"
View the Source
Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Incakujira fordycei
Paleobiology DatabaseParent Taxon Of: Incakujira fordycei, Classification, family (fml)
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Incakujira fordycei, Classification, family (fml)
"fml": "Balaenopteridae"
View the Source
Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Diunatans luctoretemergo
Paleobiology DatabaseParent Taxon Of: Diunatans luctoretemergo, Classification, family (fml)
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Diunatans luctoretemergo, Classification, family (fml)
"fml": "Balaenopteridae"
View the Source
Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record: Cetotheriophanes capellinii
Paleobiology DatabaseParent Taxon Of: Cetotheriophanes capellinii, Classification, family (fml)
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Cetotheriophanes capellinii, Classification, family (fml)
"fml": "Balaenopteridae"
View the Source
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