It is the largest and the smallest types — the blue whale and Antarctic minke whale — that occupy the coldest waters in the extreme south; the fin whale tends not to approach so close to the ice shelf; the sei whale tends to stay further north again.

Mar 26, 2025 · The largest animal ever, the blue whale, is a rorqual, and it reaches a maximum length of 98 ft (29.9 m). On average, it weighs around 180 lt (200 st). Other large species include the fin whale, which reaches a maximum length of 85 …

The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is a baleen whale belonging to the family Balaenopteridae, which includes the group of cetaceans known as rorquals. Common names are blue whale, sulfur-bottom, Sibbald’s rorqual, great blue whale, and great northern rorqual.

The blue whale is believed to be the largest animal that has ever lived on Earth. It is a member of the family, Balaenopteridae, the rorqual whales. These baleen whales have a dorsal fin and throat grooves, or pleats. The name “rorqual” is derived from a Norwegian word, “rockval”, that means furrow, referring to the throat grooves.

rorqual, (genus Balaenoptera), any of five particular species of baleen whales—specifically the blue whale, fin whale, sei whale, Bryde’s whale, and minke whale.

Blue-gray coloration – Many rorquals exhibit beautiful shades that can range from deep blue to lighter grays with varying patterns. Small pectoral fins – Their flippers are shorter than those of other whale species, suited to their agile nature.

Blue whales are in the rorqual family, which includes humpbacks, fin, Bryde’s, sei, and minke whales. Blue whales are the largest baleen whale and the largest rorqual. They can grow up too 100 feet (30.5m) and weigh around 160 tons.

Large-sized whales with furrows or pleats on their undersides, and baleen instead of teeth. Unlike other baleen whales, rorquals have pointed dorsal fins, longer, streamlined bodies, and relatively small heads. The oldest fossil whales are often grouped together in …

The Blue Whale is the largest animal on the planet. Its body is streamlined with a long tailstock and generally a uniform mottled blue. Its dorsal fin is small and located three-quater way along its back. Unlike other rorquals, its head is approximately a quater of its body length with a large splash guard and is broad and U-shaped from above.

Sep 28, 2022 · Common names: blue whale, sulphur-bottom, Sibbald's rorqual. Icelandic name: steypireyður. Scientific name: Balaenoptera musculus. Family: Balaenopteriidae (rorquals) Max length: 27m (males), 32.6m (females) in Antarctica, Northern Hemisphere blue whales are smaller. Distribution: All oceans, predominantly offshore ‍