Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.
Authentication
Information authenticated by WDCS, The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. http://www.wdcs.org
Glossary
Gestation: the state of being pregnant; the period from conception to birth.
Invertebrates: animals with no backbone.
Rorqual: derives from the Norwegian word meaning 'furrow whale', and refers to the folds or grooves of skin below the mouth that are a characteristic feature of the Baleanopteridae family of whales.
Cawardine, M., Hoyt, E., Fordyce, R.E. and Gill, P. (1998) Whales and Dolphins, The Ultimate Guide to Marine Mammals.Harper Collins Publishers, London.
Burnie, D. (2001) Animal.Dorling Kindersley, London.