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Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera brydei/edeni)

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Description

Species depicted: Bryde's whale complex (Balaenoptera brydei/edeni)
Time taken: 4 hr 30 min
References used: many, none particularly
Tools of the trade: Photoshop CS5

Remember that mysticete commission I'd finished? Yeah, me neither. It's been way too long. Time to finish uploading these great whales! We're almost there... here's the sixth-to-last mysticete: the Bryde's whale! Or maybe I should say Bryde's whaleS, because the Bryde's whale complex is a taxonomic stew to say the least. First described in 1878 as Balaenoptera edeni, based on a type specimen from Burma, in 1913 another new species was described, based on about a dozen or so odd 'Sei whales' from Norway. This second species was called Balaenoptera brydei, having been named after Johan Bryde (which is strangely pronounced 'Brewde'). Then in 1950 a Dutch scientist compared specimens from both species with a third individual stranded on Pulu Sugi Island, and synonymised the two species into a single one: Balaenoptera brydei. 

Today however the two are often seen as separate again, with the Bryde's whale (B. brydei) being the larger, cosmopolitan species, and the Sittang or Eden's whale (B. edeni) being the smaller form that may be restricted to the Indo-pacific. However the mysteries do not end there. Of course in 2003 Omura's whale has been described as a species separate from B. brydei, there appears to be a pygmy form off the coast of South Africa, and the Indo-Pacific possibly houses another kind of Bryde's whale which differs in skull morphology. So much taxonomic mystery, and so little definite information and solid research. Let's hope for some new studies in the future that can finally shed a light on this complex!

Whatever its name though, this Bryde's whale at least is a pretty guy. Diagnostic of the species are the three rostral ridges, instead of the more usual single one. They are also exquisitely marked with several chevrons on their shoulder and sides, and flipper shadows like most of the Balaenopterids. Also, while some have more faded facial patterns, there's also Bryde's whales out there with a very clear mask, which is what I've decided to showcase here. And his peduncle is looking like the surface of the moon because of cookie cutter sharks - one of the disadvantages of dwelling in warm waters for most of your life.



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Comments35
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Rebeccachu-Chan's avatar
You did a pretty good job on this! Whales are some of the planet's most-loved animals ever, and I want to go whale watching someday.