Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Which whale species are classified as baleen whales?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
cetacean
Whales (order Cetacea).
Baleen whales belong to the suborder Mysticeti and are distinguished by the presence of baleen platesākeratinized structures used to filter small prey from waterārather than teeth.123
The following species and groups are classified as baleen whales:
- Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)43
- Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)43
- Gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus)43
- Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)43
- Pygmy right whale (Caperea marginata)43
- Right whales (genera Balaena and Eubalaena)43
- Rorquals (genera Balaenoptera and Megaptera)43
- Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis)4
These marine mammals are characterized by a symmetrical skull and paired blowholes, which differ from the asymmetrical skulls and single blowholes found in toothed whales (suborder Odontoceti).3