Balaenidae

Balaena mysticetus NOAA

Eubalaena glacialis NOAA

Eubalaena japonica drawing-removebg-preview

Eubalaena australis3 flipped

Right whale size

Balaenidae, commonly known as the right whales and bowhead whales, is a family of baleen whales with three extant genera: Eubalaena (the right whales), Balaena (the bowhead whale), and the extinct Halaena. Members of this family are found in oceans worldwide, from the Arctic and Antarctic regions to temperate waters. Balaenidae whales are characterized by their large heads, which are up to one-third of their total body length, baleen plates for filtering food from water, and a lack of a dorsal fin.

Description

Balaenidae whales have robust bodies with thick layers of blubber, an adaptation to their cold-water habitats. They are easily distinguished from other whales by their long baleen plates and the absence of a dorsal fin. Their skin is usually dark with lighter patches, and they often carry large numbers of parasites and commensal organisms. These whales have two blowholes and produce a distinctive V-shaped blow.

Feeding

The diet of Balaenidae whales consists primarily of small, schooling plankton and krill. They feed by swimming slowly through swarms of prey with their mouths open, allowing water and food to enter. The water is then expelled through the baleen plates, trapping the food inside to be swallowed.

Reproduction

Balaenidae whales have a low reproductive rate, with females giving birth to a single calf after a gestation period of approximately 12 to 13 months. The interval between births can be as long as three to five years. Calves are born in the winter months and are nursed for a year before being weaned.

Conservation

Many species within the Balaenidae family have been severely depleted due to commercial whaling. Although commercial whaling has significantly decreased, the recovery of Balaenidae populations has been slow. They are threatened by ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, and climate change, which affects the availability of their prey. Several species are listed as endangered or critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Taxonomy

The family Balaenidae is divided into three genera:

• Eubalaena (Right whales)
  • Eubalaena glacialis (North Atlantic right whale)
  • Eubalaena japonica (North Pacific right whale)
  • Eubalaena australis (Southern right whale)
• Balaena (Bowhead whales)
  • Balaena mysticetus (Bowhead whale)
• Halaena (Extinct)

See Also

• Whaling
• Cetacea
• Marine conservation

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