Balaenoptera acutorostrata
Dwarf Minke Whale
©Lyle Vail: Dwarf Minke Whale near Lizard Island
©Mark Norman / Museum Victoria
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Cetacea
Family
Balaenopteridae
Genus
Balaenoptera
Species
Balaenoptera acutorostrata
Status
least concern
Colours
Distinguishing features
A small baleen whale, dark blue/grey above grading to white on the belly with a large, strongly reflective white patch at the base of the pectoral fins. A small dorsal fin is located well back on the body.
Size
- Up to 800 cm (Length of specimen)
Depth range
- Depth range data is not yet available.
Synonyms
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Local abundance
- Lizard Island area: Dwarf Minke Whales are frequently seen during winter between Lizard Island and the outer reefs.
Web resources
References
- Baker, A.N. (1983). Whales and Dolphins of New Zealand and Australia: An identification guide Victoria University Press, Wellington, NZ.
- Gedamke, J. (2004). Minke whale song, spacing, and acoustic communication on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Ph.D. thesis, University of California at Santa Cruz. LIRS catalog number 893.