(DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species whale, blue
Species Id M120001
Date 26 AUG 96
TAXONOMY
NAME - whale, blue
OTHER COMMON NAMES - sulpher bottom whale
ELEMENT CODE - 03/15/84
AOU CODE - 04/26/85
CATEGORY - Marine Mammals
PHYLUM AND SUBPHYLUM - Chordata,
CLASS AND SUBCLASS - Mammalia, Theria
ORDER AND SUBORDER - Cetacea, Mysticeti
FAMILY AND SUBFAMILY - Balaenopteridae,
GENUS AND SUBGENUS - Balaenoptera,
SPECIES AND SSP - musculus,
SCIENTIFIC NAME - Balaenoptera musculus
AUTHORITY - Linnaeus (1758)
TAXONOMY REFERENCES - 1039 and 1043
COMMENTS ON TAXONOMY -
AKA Sulpher bottom whale *1043*
Taxonomy - 1 (DRAFT) - Status
Species whale, blue
Species Id M120001
Date 26 AUG 96
STATUS
Coded Status
E: Federal Endangered
Marine Mammal
Migrant
REFERENCES FOR STATUS - 828, 1043 and 274
Status - 1 (DRAFT) - Distribution
Species whale, blue
Species Id M120001
Date 26 AUG 96
DISTRIBUTION
References on County Occurrence - AO1
References on County Abundance - AO1
REFERENCES FOR HYDROLOGIC UNIT CODES - AO1
REFERENCES FOR OTHER DISTRIBUTION - G
Distribution - 1 HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS
HABITAT - Aquatic
REFERENCES FOR HABITAT - 152
LAND USE -
Water
Atlantic Ocean Coastal Waters
REFERENCES FOR LAND USE - 1043
NATIONAL WETLAND INVENTORY CODES
NWI NWICLS NWIMOD NWISPEC
Marine, subtidal OW0
REFERENCES FOR NWI - 1043
Habitat Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Food Habits
Species whale, blue
Species Id M120001
Date 26 AUG 96
FOOD HABITS
TROPHIC LEVEL -
Carnivore
REFERENCES FOR TROPHIC LEVEL - 1035
LIFESTAGE FOOD FOOD PART
General Microorganisms Not Applicable
General Molluscs Not Applicable
General Crustaceans Adult stage
General Osteichthyes Not Applicable
General Animals Not Applicable
General Animals Adult stage
General See Comments; Food See Comments
Adult Microorganisms Not Applicable
Adult Molluscs Not Applicable
Adult Crustaceans Adult stage
Adult Osteichthyes Not Applicable
Adult Animals Not Applicable
Adult Animals Adult stage
REFERENCES FOR GENERAL FOOD - 1043 and 1035
REFERENCES FOR ADULT FOOD - 1043 and 1035
COMMENTS ON FOOD -
Feeds almost exculsively on krill, including Thysanoesa
inermis, Temora Longicornis, Megamyctiphanes norvegica *1043*
Food Habits - 1 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species whale, blue
Species Id M120001
Date 26 AUG 96
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G = General A = Adult
LIM = Limiting RA = Resting Adult
J = Juvenile FA = Feeding Adult
RJ = Resting Juvenile BA = Breeding Adult
FJ = Feeding Juvenile P = Pupae
L = Larvae E = Egg
RL = Resting Larvae
FL = Feeding Larvae
LIFESTAGE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G Aquatic Habitat Zonation: Open water [pelagic zone]
LIM Aquatic Habitat Zonation: Open water [pelagic zone]
REFERENCES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 1035
REFERENCES FOR LIMITING ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 1035
Environment Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species whale, blue
Species Id M120001
Date 26 AUG 96
LIFE HISTORY
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: the largest living mammal; length =
80-85 feet (24.4-25.9 m); females are larger than males; weight = up to
150 tons; color is blue gray; 80 to 100 furrows on throat; head is flat
and U-shaped with 1 ridge; dorsal fin is aft and short, about 13 inches
(33 cm) *1043,1035*; REPRODUCTION: mating season is May-June; gestation
period is 10.75 months; 1 offspring per reproductive period; 1
reproductive period per 2-3 years; sexual maturity for both males and
females at 4.5 years *1044*; BEHAVIOR: migrates south in the fall and
winter, may be in Virginia waters between August and December; catches
food in its baleen, mostly krill at 100 meters below the surface; mating
occurs in tropical waters; young are weaned at about 7 months; until
this time young swim with mother *1043,1044*; ORGIN: native *1043*;
POPULATION PARAMETERS: life span is 30 years *1035*
REFERENCES FOR LIFE HISTORY- 1043, 1035 and 1044
Life History - 1 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species whale, blue
Species Id M120001
Date 26 AUG 96
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
RESULT MANAGEMENT PRACTICE
Beneficial Prohibiting harvest of species being described
Beneficial Public education - publicity
Beneficial Public education - law enforcement
Existing Prohibiting harvest of species being described
Existing Public education - publicity
Existing Public education - law enforcement
REFERENCES FOR BENEFICIAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES - 1034
REFERENCES FOR EXISTING MANAGEMENT PRACTICES - 1034
Management Practices - 1 (DRAFT) - References
Species whale, blue
Species Id M120001
Date 26 AUG 96
References
152* Handley, C.O., Jr., Patton, C.P. 1947. Wild Mammals of
Virginia. Virginia Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries
Richmond:220.
276 * Harvey, James T., David L. Stein. 1986. The State of
Scientific Information Relating to the Biology and Ecology of
the Gorda Ridge Study Area, Northeast Pacific Ocean: Nekton.
(0-86-7) (ed.). Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral
Industries Portland, Oregon:131.
828* Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife. 1983. Republication of the
lists of endangered and threatened species. Federal Register
17.11-17.12:1-24.
1034* Serv., National Marine Fisheries. 1972. Marine Mammal
Protection Act of 1972. (16 U.S.C. 1361-1407, 8h. stat. 1027
(1972)).
1035* Martin, R.M. 1977. Mammals of the Oceans. G.P. Putnam's
Sons New York, N.Y:44-82.
1039* Potter, C.W. 1979. The marine fauna. Proc. Symp. on
Endangered and Threatened Plants and Animals of Virginia Linzey,
D.W. Ext. Div., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ.
Blacksburg, Va:420-580.
1043* Schmidly, D.J. 1981. Marine mammals of the southeastern
United States and the Gulf of Mexico. (41). U.S. Fish and Wildl.
Serv., Off. Biol. Serv. Washington, D.C:163.
1044* Slijper, E.J. 1979. Whales. Cornell Univ. Press Ithica,
N.Y:384-385.
References - 1