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Megaptera - Species in
Balaenopteridae - - Classification -
- Balaenopteridae
- Cetartiodactyla
- Mammalia
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Megaptera novaeangliae (Borowski, 1781)
Humpback whale| Native range | All suitable habitat | Point map | Year 2050 |
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| This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed. |
| Megaptera novaeangliae AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS |
Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | CoL | ITIS | WoRMS
Mammalia | Cetartiodactyla | Balaenopteridae
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology
Pelagic; oceanodromous (Ref. 75906); depth range 0 - 616 m (Ref. 83346). Tropical; 90°N - 90°S, 180°W - 180°E
Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions
Circumglobal. [Arabian Sea population: EN, D; Oceania population: EN, A1ad: IUCN 2010 (Ref. 84930)].
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm Max length : 1,890 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 936); max. published weight: 35.0 t (Ref. 1394)
They migrate from tropics (breeding areas) to polar or sub-polar regions, reaching the ice edges in both hemispheres (feeding areas); their migrations take them through oceanic zones (Ref. 1394). Maximum depth from Ref. 122827. Feed and breed in coastal waters, often near human population centres, and this helps make them one of the most familiar of the large whales. Feeds on krill and small schooling fish (Ref. 1394). According to a study in the Philippines, Babuyan Islands (121°36’00", 19°18’00) was verified as a breeding ground for this species, and humpback whale songs were recorded during this season. Social groups observed were lone adult, mother-calf pairs, two adults, mother-calf-escort, and a surface active mating group of 3 to 4 individuals (Ref. 77119). Adults length 1600 cm in Ref. 1394. Threats to this species are dynamite and cyanide fishing, pollution, and intrusion of foreign commercial fishing vessels (Ref. 77119), unregulated fishing activities of Taiwanese vessels, i.e. long-line and drift net fishing, and unconfirmed reports of pirate whaling (Ref. 77118). There were nine distinctive themes of humpback whale songs identified wherein 7 of which were common in the Philippines and Hawaii (Ref. 77118). Feeds and breeds in coastal waters, often near human population centres, and this helps make them one of the most familiar of the large whales. They migrate from tropics (breeding areas) to polar or sub-polar regions, reaching the ice edges in both hemispheres (feeding areas); their migrations take them through oceanic zones (Ref. 1394). They prefer warm shallow waters to breed, usually near offshore reefs, islands, or continental shores. Feeding grounds are characterized by cold, productive, shallow waters (Ref. 122680). Feeds on krill and small schooling fish (Ref. 1394). According to a study in the Philippines, Babuyan Islands (121°36’00", 19°18’00) was verified as a breeding ground for this species, and humpback whale songs were recorded during this season. Social groups observed were lone adult, mother-calf pairs, two adults, mother-calf-escort, and a surface active mating group of 3 to 4 individuals (Ref. 77119).
Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Babuyan Islands (121°36’00", 19°18’00"), Philippines was verified as a breeding ground for this species. During this season social groups observed were lone adult, mother-calf pairs, two adults, mother-calf-escort, and a surface active mating group of 3 to 4 individuals (Ref. 77119). Associated activities involved cows with young calves escorted by males, aggressive competitive behavior, and singing (Ref. 78067).
Main reference
References | Coordinator | Collaborators
Jefferson, T.A., S. Leatherwood and M.A. Webber. 1993. (Ref. 1394)
IUCN Red List Status
(Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 24 March 2018
CITES status (Ref. 108899)
Appendix I: International trade banned
CMS (Ref. 116361)
Appendix I: Endangered migratory species
Threat to humans
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
FAO - Fisheries: landings, species profile | FishSource | Sea Around Us
Tools
More information
Trophic Ecology
Ecology
Population dynamics
Growth
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Abundance
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Abundance
Life cycle
Distribution
Physiology
Oxygen consumption
Human Related
Stamps, coins, misc.
Outreach
Taxonomy
References
Internet sources
BHL | BOLD Systems | CISTI | DiscoverLife | FAO(Fisheries: species profile; publication : search) | Fishipedia | GenBank (genome, nucleotide) | GloBI | Gomexsi | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | PubMed | Tree of Life | Wikipedia (Go, Search) | Zoological Record
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature
(Ref. 115969): 0.2 - 10.2, mean 1.8 (based on 43796 cells).
Resilience
(Ref. 69278):
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.25-1.96; tm=6).
Price category
(Ref. 80766):
Unknown.