General Description
Body dark grey above and white-grey below. Often white to grey paler streaks and bands from the underside extending up the sides. Mouth curves down, moderately arched compared to other right whales. Water spray from blowhole is a thin column to short puff. Up to 6.5 m long.
Biology
These whales are so unlike all other mysticetes that they are classified in their own family and are no longer considered as one of the right whales despite their name. They are the smallest of the baleen whales, at just over 6 m long and weighing up to 3400 kg. Individuals usually dive for four minutes and can swim at speeds of about 13 km/h (8 knots). Large aggregations of dozens of pygmy right whales have been sighted offshore far western Victoria.
Distribution
Southern temperate oceans. Potentially near Port Phillip, recorded from Victoria, mainly in the west of the State near Portland.
Habitat
Temperate and subtropical waters, to depth of 1400 m.
More Information
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Animal Type
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Animal SubType
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Brief Id
Dark grey above, pale underneath, pale bands and streaks on sides, thin to short puff water spray.
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Maximum Size
6.5 m
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Habitats
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Diet
Plankton or Particles
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Diet Categories
Krill, Amphipods, Copepods
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Endemicity
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Commercial
No
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Conservation Statuses
CITES: Trade restrictions (Appendix I), DSE Advisory List: Not listed, EPBC Act 1999: Not listed, IUCN Red List: Data Deficient
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Depths
Shore (0-1 m), Shallow (1-30 m), Deep ( > 30 m)
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Water Column Locations
Surface, Midwater
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Taxon Name
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Common Name
Pygmy Right Whale
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Kingdom
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Phylum
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Subphylum
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Class
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Order
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Suborder
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Family
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Genus
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Species Name
marginata
