Balaena mysticetus

Linnaeus, 1758

Bowhead Whale

Taxonomy

Subclass : Theria
Infraclass : Placentalia
Magnorder : Boreoeutheria
Superorder : Laurasiatheria
Order : Artiodactyla
Suborder : Whippomorpha
Infraorder : Cetacea
Parvorder : Mysticeti
Family : Balaenidae
Genus : Balaena

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Linnaeus, C. 1758-01-01. Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio Decima, Reformata. Laurentii Salvii, Stockholm, 823 pp.

Authority publication link

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25033886

Original name as described

Balaena mysticetus

Other common names

Arctic Right Whale · Bowhead · Bunch-back Whale · Great Polar Whale · Greenland Right Whale · Greenland Whale · Steeple-top

Type material

lost (number not known)

Type kind

nonexistent

Type locality

"Habitat in Oceano Grœnlandico" (= Greenland Sea).

Biogeographic realm

Marine

Country distribution

United States · Canada · Greenland · Russia · Norway · Iceland

Subregion distribution

USA(AK)

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1006393

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details. If the list is long, scroll down to see more.

Balaena mysticetus

Linnaeus, 1758

Family

Balaenidae

Root name

mysticetus

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

lost (number not known)

Type kind

nonexistent

Authority page

75

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25033886

Authority publication

Stockholm

Name usages

  1. Erxleben (1777:601, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15873398) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36060)
  2. Cuvier (1797:177, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11637259) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38531)
  3. Fischer (1814:xxii, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29130083) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/12226)
  4. Illiger (1815:110, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080966) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38688)
  5. Illiger (1815:64, 103, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080920, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080959) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38688)
  6. Billberg (1827:39) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67228)
  7. Lesson (1827:425, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207892) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  8. Blyth (1863:93, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47534774) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37155)
  9. True (1885:591, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7306385) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35039)
  10. Corbet & Hill (1980:113) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
  11. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:303, 304) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
  12. Mead & Brownell (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9684)
  13. O'Brien, Menninger & Nash (2006:559) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/7321)
  14. Mittermeier & Wilson (2014:212) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67175)
  15. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #2467) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  16. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #2467) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  17. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1006393) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  18. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/2467/50347659) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Balaena borealis

Lesson, 1828

Family

Balaenidae

Root name

borealis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type

lost (number not known)

Type kind

nonexistent

Authority page

394, 442

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/61811886

Authority publication

Paris

Hunterius Svedenborgii

(W. Lilljeborg, 1867)

Family

Balaenidae

Root name

svedenborgii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

UUZM type #443

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

35

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44528834

Authority publication

Nova Acta Regiae Societatis Scientiarum Upsaliensis

Balœna mysticetus

Lesson, 1842

Family

Balaenidae

Root name

mysticetus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

202

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Lesson (1842:202) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

Balaena Mysticetus groenlandica

Kerr, 1792

Family

Balaenidae

Root name

groenlandica

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

356

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/38664386

Authority publication

Edinburgh

Balæna misticetus

S.D.W., 1836

Family

Balaenidae

Root name

misticetus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

71

Authority publication

The Analyst

Balaena mysticetus arctica

Schlegel, 1841

Family

Balaenidae

Root name

arctica

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

36

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16012289

Authority publication

Leiden

Balaena prisca

S. Nilsson, 1847

Family

Balaenidae

Root name

prisca

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

643

Authority publication

Lund

Hunterius Swedenborgii

(J. E. Gray, 1871)

Family

Balaenidae

Root name

swedenborgii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

44

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15945458

Authority publication

British Museum Catalogue

Balaena Tannenbergii

P. J. Van Beneden in P. J. Van Beneden & P. Gervais, 1872

Family

Balaenidae

Root name

tannenbergii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

250

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34017804

Authority publication

Paris

Balaena Tannenbergensis

J. F. von Brandt, 1873

Family

Balaenidae

Root name

tannenbergensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

unjustified_emendation

Authority page

23

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/46696967

Authority publication

Mémoires de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de Saint-Pétersbourg

Balaena mysticetus roysii

Dall, 1874

Family

Balaenidae

Root name

roysii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

305

Authority publication

book

Balaena mysticetus forma pitlekajensis

Malm, 1883

Family

Balaenidae

Root name

pitlekajensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

37

Authority publication

Bihang till Kongliga Svenska Vetenskampsacademien Handlingar

Balaena mysticetus pittekajensis

Trouessart, 1905

Family

Balaenidae

Root name

pittekajensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

787

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/53423668

Authority publication

Berlin

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