Higher Classification: > Kingdom Animalia > Subkingdom Eumetazoa > Phylum Chordata > Subphylum Vertebrata > Infraphylum Gnathostomata > Megaclass Tetrapoda > Class Mammalia > Subclass Theria > Order Cetartiodactyla > Suborder Cetancodonta > Infraorder Cetacea > Superfamily Mysticeti > Family Balaenopteridae

Balaenoptera Lacépède, 1804

Rank: Genus
Taxon Status: accepted

Children

Balaenoptera acutorostrata Lacépède, 1804
Balaenoptera borealis Lesson, 1828
Balaenoptera edeni Anderson, 1878
Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Vernaculars (+) (-)

English: baleen whales; finback whales

Literature

original description	de Lacépède, B. G. E. (1804). Histoire naturelle des cétacées. In Buffon, Histoire naturelle. vol. 37:317.
basis of record	van der Land, J. (2001). Tetrapoda, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 375-376
additional source	King, C.M.; Roberts, C.D.; Bell, B.D.; Fordyce, R.E.; Nicoll, R.S.; Worthy, T.H.; Paulin, C.D.; Hitchmough, R.A.; Keyes, I.W.; Baker, A.N.; Stewart, A.L.; Hiller, N.; McDowall, R.M.; Holdaway, R.N.; McPhee, R.P.; Schwarzhans, W.W.; Tennyson, A.J.D.; Rust, S.; Macadie, I. (2009). Phylum Chordata: lancelets, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals. in: Gordon, D.P. (Ed.) (2009). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: 1. Kingdom Animalia: Radiata, Lophotrochozoa, Deuterostomia. pp. 431-554.
additional source	Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).

Genbank

Citation

Fordyce, E.; Perrin, W.F. (2025). World Cetacea Database. Balaenoptera Lacépède, 1804. Via: Costello, M.J.; Bouchet, P.; Boxshall, G.; Arvantidis, C.; Appeltans, W. (2011) European Register of Marine Species, Accessed through PESI at http://www.eu-nomen.eu/portal/taxon.php?GUID=urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:137013