Bryde’s Whale – Balaenoptera edeni

Balaenoptera edeniAnderson, 1879

Accepted name, Mammal Species of the World 2005

Reviewed by Cummings (1985a). May represent more than one species (Wada and Numachi, 1991). Rice (1998:71) recognized B. edeni (Eden’s or Sittang Whale; smaller in size) as being distinct from B. brydei (Bryde’s whale; larger in size) but we used only one species because it is not clear if B. edeni is the larger or the smaller type whale and B. edeni has a type specimen. Wada, Oishi and Yamada (2003) described Balaenoptera omurai, related to B. edeni and recognized B. brydei. Due to the controversy regarding this step, we have recognized B. omurai as a synonym with the provision that it may be recognized as a full species when Balaenoptera is revised. See comment in Rice (1998:71-75).

• Wilson, D and Reeder, D. (eds.) 2005. Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. 3rd ed. -- 2142 pp. Johns Hopkins University Press.