Family BALAENIDAE
Compiler and date details
December 2010 - Updated by Stephen M. Jackson, c/- Queensland Museum, Brisbane, following Van Dyck & Strahan (2008)
31 December 1998 - J.L. Bannister (1988); updated by Barry J. Richardson (1999), Centre for Biostructural and Biomolecular Research, University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury
Introduction
Two of the four species of right whales occur in Australia waters.
The head comprises one-fourth to one-third the total length. Teeth are absent, instead 230-360 long, flexible baleen plates are present on each side of the upper jaw. The rostrum is arched and narrow. The cervical vertebrae are fused.
Slow swimming and non-migratory, the right whales feed primarily on minute decapod crustaceans, obtained by straining water through the baleen plates. Formerly abundant, these whales (except Caperea) have been heavily hunted because of their great oil yield and their populations are greatly reduced.
General References
Baker, A.N. 1983. Whales and Dolphins of New Zealand and Australia. Wellington : Victoria University Press 133 pp.
Bannister, J.L. 1989. Balaenidae. pp. 988-992 in Walton, D.W. & Richardson, B.J. (eds). Fauna of Australia. Mammalia. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 1B 827 pp.
Bannister, J.L., Kemper, C.M. & Warneke, R.M. 1996. The Action Plan for Australian Cetaceans. Canberra : Australian Nature Conservation Agency 242 pp.