Blue whale

The blue whale, or the lighthouse [4] (scientific name: Balaenoptera musculus) is a mammal sea belongs to under the baleen whales rank, [5] and because of the length of 30 meters (98 feet) [6] and weight of 170 tons [7] or more , it is the largest known animal ever. [8]

The blue whale's body is long and slender, a Piebald graded colors, it is bluish gray at noon and lighter in color on the lower side. [9] of the blue whale three different strains are at least: b. M. Mskyuls (B. m. Musculus) and live in the North Atlantic and North Pacific, and b. M. Intermedia (B. m. Intermedia) and lives in the Antarctic Ocean, and b. M. Brevikuda (B. m. Brevicauda) also known as pygmy blue whale, live in the Indian and South Pacific Ocean, and the b. M. Aindika (B. m. Indica), who lives in the Indian Ocean, it's possible that another strain of this kind. Consists of blue whales, like other baleen whales almost exclusively of small crustaceans known as Alaevoseat food. [10]

The blue whales are abundant in all the Earth's oceans almost until the beginning of the twentieth century, as it was hunters whales they hunt for more than a century until it became on the verge of extinction, but the international community has to protect them in 1966, leading to improved conditions, has estimated a 2002 report number blue whales, including approximately 5,000 to 12,000 blue whale all over the world, [11] and are found in five sets at least, and noted the latest report conducted on whales breed dwarf that this estimate may be lower than the reality, [12] and the red list of threatened species extinction they are classified as blue whale within the endangered animals. [13] was the largest concentration of blue whales before whaling operations in the Antarctic region, with nearly 239,000 whale numbered (from 202,000 to 311,000 a whale), [14] but it was left there only much smaller than those groups, each group of two thousand whales consists almost, are found in all the eastern North Pacific and Antarctica and the Indian Ocean, there are also two groups in the North Atlantic, and at least two groups in the southern Hemisphere.

Category

Blue whales are classified as a platoon Alrcoliat (Balaenopteridae), a species that includes whales tsunami, whales and finfish, postal and whales, and whales Sai, and minke whales. [5] Proponents scientists believe the theory of evolution that species Alrcoliat has evolved from under the baleen whales rank long before dating back to the era Oligocene East, but they did not know when to split these types of species from each other.

Classifies the blue whale is usually a kind of eight belonging to the genus Alhrkulyat species, a study classified into a separate genus called Sebaldus (Sibbaldus), [15] However, this classification is not acceptable in any other place. [1] has pointed out the DNA sequence of a whale analysis blue that closer ethnically to the sei whale and Bryde's whale species and other Alhrkulyat, closer to the whale tsunami gray whale from minke whales, [16] [17] it is believed that if there are other research confirms these relationships, it will be necessary to reclassify Alrcoliat.

I've found in the wild for at least eleven documented cases of whale hybrids resulting from mating blue whales with whales Zaanvih, and some scientists have pointed out that the genetic kinship between the blue whale fin whales are such kinship between humans and gorillas. [18] In addition to therefore, some of the researchers working at the Fiji Island claimed that they took pictures of a hybrid resulting from a whale mating Snama with a blue whale. [19]

The first to describe the blue whale and the description of a publication is a doctor Scottish Robert Sebald in 1694, in his book «Phalainologia Nova», In the month of September in 1692 found Robert Sebald blue whale in the mouth of the Forth River, was that the whale is male length of 24 meters almost (78 feet), and he has a «black sheets solid» and «two holes senior resemble the pyramids in Hklehma». [20]

Blue Whale scientific name is derived from the Latin Mskyuls floor (musculus), which means «muscle», but can also be a sense of «Little Mouse», [21] It must be Carl Linnaeus who name this animal in his book «the order of nature» in 1758, [22] must be because he knew this, and was probably intended this label with concerned irony. [23] Herman Melville has the name this whale as «sulfur bottom» in his novel Moby Dick because of a spot color orange brown or yellow on the lower segment, and it is caused by the presence of algae called diatoms on his skin. There are other common names for the blue whale, including: Rcoli Sebald proportion to the doctor Robert Sebald, who was the first to describe this whale, the great blue whale and the northern Great Alrcoli, but these names were abandoned and no longer used. The first known use of the term blue whale was in the novel Moby Dick, it has said the author Herman Melville this term metaphorically only was it a special name for this whale, and the English name «blue whale» derived from the Norwegian word «blåhval» formulated by hunter whales Norwegian Svend Vojin, world Ocean Norwegian George SARS has adopted this name to become Norwegian common name for the blue whale, in the year 1874. [20]

Authorities blue whale is divided into three or four strains, namely: b. M. Mskyuls (B. m. Musculus), a northern blue whale, which includes groups that live in the North Atlantic and North Pacific, and b. M. Intermedia (B. m. Intermedia), the southern blue whale who lives in the Antarctic Ocean, and b. M. Brevikuda (B. m. Brevicauda), a blue whale dwarf who lives in the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific, [24] and The Great Indian whale b. M. Aindika (B. m. Indica), who lives in the Indian Ocean, it is the most problematic of these breeds, there are those who classify in a separate breed, and there are those who make it is a strain b. M. One strain Brevikuda. [1]

Description and behavior

Body blue whale long tapering shape, apparently lying when compared with other whales that are buxom bodies. [25] The head Fmstah shape and be U-shaped and contains a series of outcrops salient stretching from slot jetting to the top of the upper lip. [25 ] the front of the mouth and thick sheets Balinih contain almost 300 plate numbering (one plate in each meters approx.) [25] hang from the upper jaw, and head by half a meter back into the mouth. There are cavities between 70 and 118 cavities ranging in size (called folds groundwater) spread in the throat of the whale parallel to the extension of his body, and help these folds in the water ejected from the mouth after he deals with his own food Pisces.

Blue fin whale small dorsal, [25] ranging in height from 8 to 70 centimeters (3.1 to 28 inches), and height in most cases between 20 and 40 centimeters (7.9 to 16 inches), which means that an average altitude of about 28 centimeters (11 inches), [26] and these fin visible only briefly during the dive cascade, which lies along the three-quarters of the body lengthwise, and differ in form from one individual to another, with some whales owns a small piece difficult feeling in them or touching them, The others Vimitlk dorsal fin prominent sickle shaped. When the blue whale goes out to the water's surface to breathe, he lifted his shoulders and slot puff out of the water to a greater extent than other large whales, such as whale fin whales Sai, and can Observers uses this characteristic to distinguish between the different species in the sea, and some blue whales in North Atlantic and North Pacific raise their wake when diving. When breathing blue whale it does jet column of water vertically amazingly up to the height of 12 meters (39 feet), typically 9 meters (30 feet), with a lung whale 5.000 liter, which has two openings puffs identical protected by a huge portion. [25 ]

Ranges along the whale's fin blue between 3 and 4 meters (9.8 to 13 feet), is the color of their sides Alawites gray with thin white borders, and the two sides Ambasslaan white color, and the color of the head and the tail is uniform gray color, and the top of its parts, and sometimes fins, usually be mottled or polka dots, and the degree of drip vary significantly from one individual to another, when each color have these parts a gray uniform, but at others, these sections contain a large variation of colors: dark blue, gray, black, are dotted in a tight . [5]

Can blue whales speed of up to 50 kph (31 mph) in short bursts, which usually occur when interacting with other whales, but the typical speed while swimming at 20 kph (12 mph), [5] As for eating while they reduce the speed of five kilometers per hour (3.1 miles per hour).

Blue whales live mostly alone or with an individual and another one, do not know how much couples keep traveling with each other, and the sites where there is a high concentration of nutrients, it had been seen at least 50 whales blue scattered in a small space such as, but blue whales do not constitute a large interconnected groups such as those seen in other baleen species.

 the size

The blue whale is the largest known animal lived on the ground now and ever, [25] and the largest dinosaur known it Dinassourarzintinosors who lived in the middle period, with an estimated weight of approximately 90 tons, [27] That is much smaller and lighter than the blue whales.

Difficult to measure blue whales weight because of its size, as is the case with most of the large whales targeted by hunters whales, the male blue whales amount has not weighed whole never, but it is cut into small pieces first easy to handle, and therefore these estimates were less than the total weight of the real the whale, because the whale loses some blood and other fluids if they are cut. Blue whales in Hmalamahat Atlantic and Pacific smallest appear larger on average than those found in the vicinity of the Antarctic regions, and weights recorded, ranging between 150 and 170 tons of whale length up to 27 meters (89 feet), and the US National Laboratory for marine mammals (NMML) estimating the weight of a whale 30 meters long (98 feet), including more than 180 tons, and the largest blue whale has «NMML» scientists weigh it accurately are female and weighed 177 tons. [11]

There are several allegations about any blue whales found is the biggest ever, and most of these allegations came from blue whales killed in the waters of Antarctica during the first half of the twentieth century, only to fishermen who collected this information were not well-versed in the techniques followed in the measurement of animal sizes, but well-known is that the largest whales and weight have weighed about 190 tons. [28] the longest whales ever understanding Onthian two Toulhma 33.6 meters (110 feet) and 33.3 meters (109 feet), but that these two measurements are not very precise, [29] and the longest whale has «NMML» scientists measured the length of a length of 29.9 meters has been reached (98 feet), [11] and was female Astadha fishermen whales Japanese in the Antarctic in 1946 or 1947. Lt. Quentin R. stressed. Walsh, of the US Coast Guard, who was working as investigators in the whaling operations, confirmed the existence of female whale blue holder a length of 30 meters (98 feet) in the Arctic Aljnobihvi the years 1937 to 1938 season. [30] The longest whale was found in the North Pacific Ocean a length of 27.1 meters has been reached (89 feet), and the female whale hunters Astadha Japanese in 1959, and the longest whale was found in the North Atlantic were female length of 28.1 meters (92 feet), has been found in the Davis Strait. [20]

Because of the size of whales Big Blue, several members of its members is the largest species of the animal kingdom are all, Velsanh weighs about 2.7 tons, [31] and when the mouth is open fully, it can accommodate up to 90 tonnes of food and water, [10] Although the size of the mouth is very large, but the throat dimensions of not being able to swallow anything larger than a beach ball. [32] The heart weight of 600 kg (1300 lbs), the largest heart known when any animal, [31] and Omeshraanh aorta rib, the length of the a diameter of about 23 centimeters (9.1 inches). [33] and drink calf blue whale during the first seven months of his life around 400 liters of milk every day, gaining these calves weight very quickly, as it increases 90 kilos (200 pounds) almost every 24 hours, with a whale birth weight 2700 kg (6000 lbs.) which is the same weight to the hippo when it is full maturity. [5] and has blue whales are relatively small brains, with an estimated weight of about 6.92 kg (15.26 lb) only , representing only 0.007% of its body weight, [34] and the rod blue whale is the largest of the male are all living organisms. [35]

Food

Blue whales feed almost exclusively on small crustaceans known as Alaevoseat, however they are dealing with small amounts of Mjaddavih legs, [36] a small crustaceans live Viseaar fresh water. The different types of zooplankton that feed on blue whales from the perimeter to the perimeter, in the North Atlantic, the species that make up the usual food is: «Meganyctiphanes norvegica» and «Thysanoessa raschii» and «Thysanoessa inermis» and «Thysanoessa longicaudata», [37] [ 38] [39] in the North Pacific, the food usual is: «Euphausia pacifica» and «Thysanoessa inermis» and «Thysanoessa longipes» and «Thysanoessa spinifera» and «Nyctiphanes symplex» and «Nematoscelis megalops», [40] [41 ] [42] in the southern Hemisphere, the usual food is: krill and krill magnificent crystal and brand of Valentinian krill and krill south (night).

Deals with the blue whale of up to 40 million Creel per day, [43] always eat whales in areas where there are upper concentrations of Alkrliat, which eat sometimes up to 3,600 kg (7,900 lbs) of Alaevoseat in one day, [36] this is because the blue whale's needs daily capacity of more than 1.5 billion calories. [44] blue whales food habits vary from one season to another, they are very greedy when they are in the rich waters Balaevoseat in the Antarctic before migrating to areas breed in the vicinity of the equator waters which are warmer and less vocals Balaevoseat, and can the blue whale that deals with energy up to ninety times the energy it consumes, and this allows him to store large reserves of energy. [45] [46] [47 ]

Blue whales eat normally at a depth of over 100 meters (330 feet) during the day and eat from the surface during the night only, due to Alaevoseat movement, usually a period of Ghosha when ten minutes of nutrition, but that this period is often up to twenty minutes, As long as they are recorded dive 36 minutes. Eat blue whale mediated rush toward Alaevoseat groups, leading to the entry of these animals in addition to large quantities of water in his mouth, and then the next pressure of the abdominal sac and tongue squeezing water out of Cefaiha Balinese, when freelance mouth of the water, it is swallowing the remaining Alaevoseat in his mouth, which was not able to pass through the baleen plates. The blue whale is consumed in addition to Alaevoseat: small fish, crustaceans, squid attached with Alaevoseat in Cefaiha baleen. [48] [49]

life cycle

Blue whales mating begins in late fall and lasts until the end of the winter, [50] does not know much about the mating habits of the whales. Females give birth usually once every two or three years, and have it in the beginning of winter after a gestation period of between 10 and 12 months, [50] and be a small whale weight (calf) at birth about 2.5 tons and a length of about 7 meters (23 feet), and after birth the calf starts eating a large amount of milk varies between 380 and 570 liters per day, contains the blue whale's milk on energy amounting up to 18,300 kJ / kg (4370 Kilusarh / kg), [51] and has a calf weaning after six months of his birth, and have reached a length, then to twice what it was, and up blue whale puberty at the age of between five years and ten years often have. Whaling records appear in the Northern Hemisphere, the average length of the male whales when puberty reach 20-21 meters (65.6 to 69 feet) and the average female length of 21-23 meters (69-75 feet), [52] but in half the land southern males length of 22.6 meters (74 feet) and females 24 meters (79 feet), [53] but after puberty, the average male along in the northern Hemisphere of 24 meters (79 feet) and females 25 meters (82 feet), but in the southern Hemisphere, the average male length of 25 meters (82 feet) and females 26.5 meters (87 feet). [52] [53] the graphic study in the North Pacific have shown that the average blue whales along the amount of 21, 6 meters (71 feet), and the maximum length is 24.4 meters (80 feet), [54] even though he had been found on a female blue whale 26.5 meters long (87 feet) on one of the beaches of California in 1979. [55 ]

Scientists estimate the blue whale lives of at least four-fifth year, [29] [50] [56] However, as the statistics conducted on individuals do not go back to the whaling era, this estimate will not be definitively known for several years, was the longest total registered Study on one individual for 34 years, and was in the eastern North Pacific. [57] the only natural predator of these whales is the killer whale, [58]. some studies indicate that 25% of blue whales amounting to almost have the scars caused by killer whales attacks, [29] The resulting from those attacks, the death rate is unknown.

Some species of whales throw themselves on land and beaches, leading to her death from dehydration, this behavior is known as whales suicide, but this behavior is not common when blue whales at all, and because of the social structure of this type of whale, the mass suicides do not see then never, [59] when the phenomenon of suicide whales are located, they become the focus of public attention. In 1920, people had washed blue whale lying on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland with water so as not to die of dehydration, as the some of the whalers shot him but spear fishing, which was launched it did not explode, was left alive, and as with all mammals the whale instinct led him to continue breathing at all costs, even if that means to throw himself on the beach itself to prevent it from sinking, which the whale to do. Residents erected bones from the bones of the whale off one of the main roads in the Isle of Lewis, and what superpowers clashed still point to attract tourists. [60]

Votes

A study conducted in 1971 that the severity of the sounds made by blue whales, which range between 155 and 188 decibels when measured on a pressure equal to Maekerobascala one on one meter. [61] [62] and exports all whales groups blue noises ranging from fundamental frequencies between 10 and 40 Hz , knowing that the lowest frequency sound a person can hear is 20 Hz. The two blue whales calls range from ten seconds and thirty seconds, and sounds for blue whales recorded off the Sri Lankan coast consists of four musical notes, the one for which equals about two minutes, which is similar to that of the votes of whales Tsunami known, and since this phenomenon was not observed at any another group of blue whales, the researchers believe it may be unique only when whales dwarf breed.

The real reason behind the blue whale sounds unknown issue, noted a 1995 study that the possible reason for this six, namely: [63]

Maintaining the distance between individuals.

Distinguish between different species and between individuals.

Transfer of contextual information, such as feeding, alarm and courtship.

Preservation of social organization, such as contact calls between females and males.

Determine topographic features sites.

Identify prey sites.

Whaling

Fishing time

It is not easy to blue whales hunting or killing because of its speed and strength, and therefore the first whale hunters rarely were hounding her, but they were chasing sperm whales and whales right instead. [64] In 1864, a fisherman Norwegian Svend Vojin processing steamer Bermah whaling