Marine Mammals Information Database :Illustrated Guide of Marine Mammals

Bowhead whale

Scientific Name : Balaena mysticetus / Japanese Name : hokkyoku-kujira

Bowhead whale

Details

Order Cetartiodactyla
Suborder Mysticeti
Family Balaenopteridae
Genus Balaenoptera
Species mysticetus
Subspecies -
Subtype -
CITES Appendix I IUCN RedData Status Least Concern
Baleen plates or tooth-Upper jaw 230-360 Baleen plates or tooth-Lower jaw -
At birth At weaning Adult Adult male Adult female
Body length 13.0-15.0ft 20.0ft 49.0-59.0ft - -
Body weight - - 70-100t - -
Feature and Habit
Their body surface has no callosity and is smooth. The flippers are broad and spatura shaped. Body color is entirely black and the jaw is white and the tail stock can be white. The baleen plates (as long as 3.7 to 4.7m) are almost black. They have 230 to 360 baleen plates per side. They are found both in coastal and offshore waters, and many Bowhead whales are seen at ice edge . They migrate.
Description
 
Stranding Record(s) in Japan
Reference: ▼Bowhead whale
Map ▼(Japanese)

Marine Mammals Skull Database

A click on the skull thumb nail will bring you to detailed images.


Sex - Reproductive Condition -
Body length - Locality -
Museum No. - Other No. -

▲Back to top