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Humpback Whale
Dr. Louis M. Herman., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Dolphins & whales

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae (Borowski, 1781)

LC Least Concern

Names

EnglishHumpback Whale
DutchBultrug
SpanishBallena jorobada
Chinese大翅鲸
Scientific nameMegaptera novaeangliae (Borowski, 1781)

About this species

The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the only species in the genus Megaptera. Adults range in length from 14–17 m (46–56 ft) and weigh up to 40 metric tons (44 short tons). The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with long pectoral fins and tubercles on its head. It is known for breaching and other distinctive surface behaviors, making it popular with whale watchers. Males produce a complex song that typically lasts from 4 to 33 minutes.

Found in oceans and seas around the world, humpback whales typically migrate between feeding areas towards the poles and breeding areas near the equator. Their diet consists mostly of krill and small fish, and they usually use bubbles to catch prey. They are polygynandrous breeders, with both sexes having multiple partners. Males will follow females and fight off rivals. Mothers give birth to calves in shallower water. Orcas are the main natural predators of humpback whales. The bodies of humpbacks host barnacles and whale lice.

Read more on Wikipedia · Text: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Classification

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassMammalia
OrderCetacea
FamilyBalaenopteridae
GenusMegaptera

Related species in Suriname