Blue Whale

Blue Whale

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Subclass:	Eutheria
Order:	Cetacea
Suborder:	Mysticeti
Family:	Balaenoptiidae
Genus:	Balaenoptera
Species:	musculus

Binomial name

Balaenoptera musculus

The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is a mammal which belongs to the baleen whales suborder. It is the largest animal to have ever lived. It was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

It is a filter-feeder, using its baleen to strain plankton out of the seawater and may reach 30 meters long and up to 150 tons.

Its lung capacity is 5,000 litres.

The blue whale has a tiny dorsal fin, visible only briefly during the dive sequence. It has a spectacular 9m vertical single column blow.