(DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species whale, humpback
Species Id M120006
Date 26 AUG 96
TAXONOMY
NAME - whale, humpback
OTHER COMMON NAMES - humpback whale, hunchback whale and humpbacks
ELEMENT CODE - 03/10/84
AOU CODE - 04/26/85
CATEGORY - Marine Mammals
PHYLUM AND SUBPHYLUM - Chordata,
CLASS AND SUBCLASS - Mammalia, Theria
ORDER AND SUBORDER - Cetacea, Musticeti
FAMILY AND SUBFAMILY - Balaenopteridae,
GENUS AND SUBGENUS - Megaptera,
SPECIES AND SSP - novaeangliae,
SCIENTIFIC NAME - Megaptera novaeangliae
AUTHORITY - Borowski 1781
TAXONOMY REFERENCES - 1043
COMMENTS ON TAXONOMY -
AKA humpbacked whale, hunchbacked whale, humpbacks
*1043*
Taxonomy - 1 (DRAFT) - Status
Species whale, humpback
Species Id M120006
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, humpback
Species Id M120006
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 - 1033
LAND USE -
Water
Atlantic Ocean Coastal Waters
REFERENCES FOR LAND USE - 1029 and 1033
NATIONAL WETLAND INVENTORY CODES
NWI NWICLS NWIMOD NWISPEC
Marine, subtidal OW0
REFERENCES FOR NWI - 1033
Habitat Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Food Habits
Species whale, humpback
Species Id M120006
Date 26 AUG 96
FOOD HABITS
TROPHIC LEVEL -
Carnivore
REFERENCES FOR TROPHIC LEVEL - 1043, 1033 and 1035
LIFESTAGE FOOD FOOD PART
General See Comments; Food See Comments
REFERENCES FOR GENERAL FOOD - 1043 and 1035
COMMENTS ON FOOD -
Feeds only when in northern waters; limited data indicates
that capelin is preferred food *1043*
Food Habits - 1 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species whale, humpback
Species Id M120006
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]
LIM Water Temperature: Specified in Comments
FA Water Temperature: Specified in Comments
BA Water Temperature: Specified in Comments
REFERENCES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 1035
REFERENCES FOR LIMITING ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 1043 and 1035
REFERENCES FOR FEEDING ADULT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 1043
REFERENCES FOR BREEDING ADULT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 1035
COMMENTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS -
Feeds only while in northern waters *1043*
COMMENTS ON FEEDING ADULT ENVIRONTAL ASSOC_ -
Feeds only while in northern water *1043*
COMMENTS ON BREEDING ADULT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ -
Breeds in Caribbean waters *1035*
Environment Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species whale, humpback
Species Id M120006
Date 26 AUG 96
LIFE HISTORY
ORIGIN: native *1043*; PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: length = 36-53
ft.; plump; color is black with white belly and pectoral fins; small
dorsal fin; many protuberances on the fins and head *1043,1035*;
REPRODUCTION: breeding season in winter; gestation period 11-12 months;
1 offspring/reproductive period; 1 reproductive period every 1 or 2
years; sexual maturity at 4.5 years for both males and females *1044*;
breeds in Caribbean waters *1035*; BEHAVIOR: follows definite migration
patterns, spends spring, summer, and early fall north of Virginia and
move south for winter *1043*; feeds only while in northern waters
*1043*; AQUATIC/TERRESTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS: young are probably prey for
killer whale *1035*; OTHER: emit sounds in long repeated sequences
*1035*
REFERENCES FOR LIFE HISTORY- 1043, 1035 and 1044
Life History - 1 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species whale, humpback
Species Id M120006
Date 26 AUG 96
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
RESULT MANAGEMENT PRACTICE
Beneficial Prohibiting harvest of species being described
Beneficial Restricting/regulating human disturbance of populations
Beneficial Public education - law enforcement
Beneficial Public education - publicity
Existing Prohibiting harvest of species being described
Existing Restricting/regulating human disturbance of populations
Existing Public education - law enforcement
Existing Public education - publicity
REFERENCES FOR BENEFICIAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES - 1034 and 1048
REFERENCES FOR EXISTING MANAGEMENT PRACTICES - 1034 and 1048
Management Practices - 1 (DRAFT) - References
Species whale, humpback
Species Id M120006
Date 26 AUG 96
References
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.
1029* (ed.). Checklist of Virginia marine mammals. Virginia
Assoc. Res. Campus 12.
1033* Gunderson, H.L. 1976. Mammalogy. McGraw-Hill Inc. New
York, N.Y:117-120.
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.
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.
1048* Serv., National Marine Fisheries. 1981. Marine mammal
protection act of 1972. Annual report.. U.S. Dep. Comm., Natl.
Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin. Washington, D.C:143.
References - 1