PORT PHILLIP BAY


Bryde's Whale 

Balaenoptera edeni

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

See below for information.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Cetacea
Family:
Balaenopteridae
Genus:
Balaenoptera
Species:
edeni

General Description

Upper body dark grey, white to pale-grey underneath. Lines (throat pleats) underneath from throat past the middle of the body. Dorsal fin with curved edge. Water spray from blowhole is a vertical jet less than 5 m high. Up to 16 m long.

Biology

Bryde's Whales feed on shoals of fish and crustaceans. They do not migrate to other waters.

Humans interactions include:
Occasionally caught in fishing equipment.

Habitat

Open oceans and near coastlines.

Open water

Distribution guide

Worldwide. Most Australian waters. Potentially near Port Phillip, recorded from Victoria.

Species Group

Mammals Whales and dolphins

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)

Water Column

Surface Midwater

Max Size

16 m

Diet

Plankton or Particles

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Recorded in Australia

Conservation Status

  • CITES : Trade restrictions (Appendix I)
  • DSE Advisory List : Data Deficient
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Data Deficient

Author

article author Fitzgerald, E.

Dr. Erich Fitzgerald is a Senior Curator of palaeontology at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Jefferies, R.

Dr. Ryan Jefferies is a volunteer online editor at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Fitzgerald, E. & Jefferies, R., 2011, Bryde's Whale, Balaenoptera edeni, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 30 Mar 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/4161

Text: creative commons cc by licence