Dwarf Minke Whale (species: Balaenoptera acutorostrata) in Lizard Island area: all known taxa (Lizard Island Field Guide)
Lizard Island area: all known taxa > Animalia > Chordata > Vertebrata > Mammalia > Cetacea > Mysticeti > Balaenopteridae > Balaenoptera > Balaenoptera acutorostrata (gallery)
Balaenoptera acutorostrata
Dwarf Minke Whale


©Lyle Vail: Dwarf Minke Whale near Lizard Island

©Mark Norman / Museum Victoria

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Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Cetacea
Family Balaenopteridae
Genus Balaenoptera
Species Balaenoptera acutorostrata
Status least concern

Show in taxonomy
Lizard Island Field Guide
Lizard Island area: all known taxa

Colours

         

Distinguishing features

A small baleen whale, dark blue/grey above grading to white on the belly with a large, strongly reflective white patch at the base of the pectoral fins. A small dorsal fin is located well back on the body.

Size

  • Up to 800 cm (Length of specimen)

Depth range

  • Depth range data is not yet available.

Synonyms

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Local abundance

  • Lizard Island area: Dwarf Minke Whales are frequently seen during winter between Lizard Island and the outer reefs.

Web resources

References

  • Baker, A.N. (1983). Whales and Dolphins of New Zealand and Australia: An identification guide Victoria University Press, Wellington, NZ.
  • Gedamke, J. (2004). Minke whale song, spacing, and acoustic communication on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Ph.D. thesis, University of California at Santa Cruz. LIRS catalog number 893.