Balaenoptera acutorostrata

de Lacépède, 1804

Common Minke Whale

Taxonomy

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

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Lacépède, B.G.É. de. 1804. Histoire naturelle des cétacées. Plassan, Paris, 329 pp.

Authority publication link

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/51130821 https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/51130974

Original name as described

Balaenoptera acuto-rostrata

Other common names

Lesser Rorqual · Little Piked Whale · Sharp-headed Finner Whale · North Atlantic Minke Whale · North Pacific Minke Whale

Type material

untraced (number not known)

Type kind

nonexistent

Type locality

France, "pris aux environs de la rade de Cherbourg," Manche.

Biogeographic realm

Marine

Country distribution

Anguilla · Antarctica · Antigua and Barbuda · Argentina · Australia · Bahamas · Belgium · Bermuda · Brazil · Cape Verde · Canada · Chile · Cuba · Denmark · Dominica · Dominican Republic · France · French Guiana · Gambia · Greece · Greenland · Guadeloupe · Iceland · Indonesia · Ireland · Italy · Japan · North Korea · South Korea · Mauritania · Mexico · Morocco · Mozambique · Netherlands · New Caledonia · New Zealand · Norway · Papua New Guinea · Portugal · Madeira · Azores · Puerto Rico · Russia · Sint Maarten · Senegal · South Africa · Spain · Canary Islands · Taiwan · China · Turks and Caicos Islands · United Kingdom · United States · Uruguay · British Virgin Islands · United States Virgin Islands

Subregion distribution

USA(CT,DC,DE,FL,GA,ME,MD,MA,NH,NJ,NY,NC,RI,SC,VA,AK,WA,OR,CA,HI)

Distribution notes

occasional strandings in Gulf of Mexico but not live sightings

Distribution references

Jefferson, T. A. and Schiro, A. J. 1997. Distribution of cetaceans in the offshore Gulf of Mexico. Mammal Review 27: 27-50.

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1006397

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.

Balaenoptera acuto-rostrata

de Lacépède, 1804

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

acutorostrata

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

untraced (number not known)

Type kind

nonexistent

Authority page

xxxvii, 134

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/51130821 https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/51130974

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

  1. Lesson (1827:427, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207894) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  2. Davies (1963:112) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/42155)
  3. Corbet & Hill (1980:113) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
  4. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:302) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
  5. Mead & Brownell (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9684)
  6. O'Brien, Menninger & Nash (2006:560) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/7321)
  7. Mittermeier & Wilson (2014:242) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67175)
  8. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #2474) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  9. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #2474) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  10. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1006397) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  11. Schmidly, Bradley, Yancey & Bradley (2024:57) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67259)
  12. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/2474/50348265) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Balaenoptera Davidsoni

Scammon, 1872

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

davidsoni

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

preoccupied

Type

USNM:MAMM:A12177

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/3fc45a0b4-9f5e-4308-9487-f7103dd92476

Authority page

269

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3182049

Authority publication

Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences

Name usages

  1. True (1885:591, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7306385) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35039)
  2. Bailey (1936:340, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25806273) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35313)
  3. Mead & Brownell (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9684)

Balaenoptera acutorostrata scammoni

Deméré, 1986

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

scammoni

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type

USNM:MAMM:A12177

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/3fc45a0b4-9f5e-4308-9487-f7103dd92476

Authority page

288

Authority publication

Marine Mammal Science

Name usages

Mittermeier & Wilson (2014:242) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67175)

Balaena minimus borealis

(Knox, 1838)

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

borealis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

preoccupied

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

14

Authority publication

book

Balaena acutorostrata

(G. Fischer, 1814)

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

acutorostrata

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

xxii

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29130083

Authority publication

Moscow

Name usages

Fischer (1814:xxii, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29130083) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/12226)

Balœnoptera acutorostrata

Lesson, 1842

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

acutorostrata

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)

Balænoptera rostratus

F. W. True, 1885

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

rostratus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

591

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7306385

Authority publication

Proceedings of the United States National Museum

Name usages

True (1885:591, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7306385) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35039)

Eschrichtius gibbosus

(Corbet & J. Edwards Hill, 1980)

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

gibbosus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

113

Authority publication

London

Name usages

Corbet & Hill (1980:113) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)

Balaenoptera acutorostrata acutorostrata

Mittermeier & D. E. Wilson, 2014

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

acutorostrata

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

242

Authority publication

Barcelona

Name usages

Mittermeier & Wilson (2014:242) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67175)

Balaena rostrata

(O. Fabricius, 1780)

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

rostrata

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

preoccupied

Authority page

40

Authority publication

Copenhagen

Name usages

Mead & Brownell (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9684)

Rorqualus Boops

(F. Cuvier, 1836)

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

boops

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

misidentification

Authority page

321; Plate 20, Fig. 1

Authority publication

Paris

Rorqualus Minor

(R. Hamilton, 1837)

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

minor

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

142

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/57246661

Authority publication

Edinburgh

Balaena minima

(W. L. von Rapp, 1837)

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

minima

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Authority page

52

Authority publication

Stuttgart

Name usages

Mead & Brownell (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9684)

Balaenoptera Eschrichtii

H. Rasch, 1845

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

eschrichtii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

123

Authority publication

Nyt Magazin for Naturvidenskaberne

Pterobalaena minor bergensis

(D. F. Eschricht, 1849)

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

bergensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

109

Authority publication

Det Kongelige danske Videnskabernes Selskabs Skrifter

Pterobalaena minor groenlandica

(D. F. Eschricht, 1849)

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

groenlandica

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

109

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13602387

Authority publication

Det Kongelige danske Videnskabernes Selskabs Skrifter

Pterobalaena minor

(D. F. Eschricht, 1849)

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

minor

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

preoccupied

Authority page

109, 169, pls. 5-7

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13602387

Authority publication

Det Kongelige danske Videnskabernes Selskabs Skrifter

Balaenoptera microcephala

J. E. Gray, 1850

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

microcephala

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

notusedas_valid

Authority page

32

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12931679

Authority publication

British Museum Catalogue

Pterobalaena Nana pentadactyla

(Barkow, 1862)

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

pentadactyla

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

17

Authority publication

Wrocław

Pterobalaena Nana tetradactyla

(Barkow, 1862)

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

tetradactyla

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Authority page

17

Authority publication

Wrocław

Pterobalaena pentadactyla

(W. H. Flower, 1865)

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

pentadactyla

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

394 (footnote)

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28500719

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Balaena gibbosa

(Cope, 1868)

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

gibbosa

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

misidentification

Authority page

159

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9768308

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia

Agaphelus gibbosus

(Cope, 1868)

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

gibbosa

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

159

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9768308

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia

Name usages

True (1885:590, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7306384) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35039)

Physalus antarcticus

(F. W. Hutton in J. E. Gray, 1874)

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

antarcticus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

misidentification

Authority page

316

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/24342704

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Name usages

Gray (1874:95, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34882221) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67283)

Sibbaldius mondinii

(Capellini, 1877)

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

mondinii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

423

Authority publication

Memorie della Reale Accademie delle Scienze dell'Istituto di Bologna

Balaenoptera rostrata

P. J. Van Beneden & P. Gervais, 1879

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

rostrata

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

pl. 12, pl. 13 (figs. 1-10)

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41066927

Authority publication

Paris

Neobalaena marginata

(E. Wilson, 1907)

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

marginata

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

misidentification

Authority page

4; Fig. 2

Authority publication

London

Balaena microcephala

(A. G. Tomilin, 1957)

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

microcephala

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

notusedas_valid

Authority page

239

Authority publication

Jerusalem

Balaenoptera acutorostrata bonaerensis

Deraniyagala, 1960

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

bonaerensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

misidentification

Authority page

84

Authority publication

Spolia Zeylanica

Balaenoptera acutorostrata thalmaha

Deraniyagala, 1963

Family

Balaenopteridae

Root name

thalmaha

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

82

Authority publication

Spolia Zeylanica

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