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       #Post#: 9--------------------------------------------------
       Blue whale - Balaenoptera musculus
       By: Ceratodromeus Date: September 14, 2018, 12:53 pm
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       [img]
  HTML https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/421f394a80b8bae08e86972cefdd461925016d61/0_147_4527_2716/master/4527.jpg?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&usm=12&fit=max&s=6ca9aedc04f65374d334a7c2dd09f018[/img]
       Scientific classification
       Kingdom: Animalia
       Phylum: Chordata
       Subphylum: Vertebrata
       Class: Mammalia
       Order:Artiodactyla
       Family: Balaenopteridae
       Genus: Balaenoptera
       Species: B.musculus
       Subspecies:
       [list]
       [li]Northern Blue whale - B.m.musculus[/li]
       [li]Southern Blue whale - B.m.intermedia[/li]
       [li] Pygmy Blue whale - B.m.brevicauda[/li]
       [/list]
       Biology[sup]{1}[/sup]
       The Blue whale is the largest aquatic mammal known to exist to
       date; Maturing at around 22m(73ft)(slightly shorter in the pygmy
       subspecies), and growing up to an astounding 110ft(33.5m), these
       giants filter feed on a variety of microorganisms and small
       fishes; as the are baleen whales, they filter feed. Blue whales
       generally have nothing to fear from predators. Orca and man are
       their only true predators in their adult life stage, orcas are
       known to harass and prey upon the young blue whales as well.
       Blue whales are generally cold water whales, migrating to lower
       latitudes for breeding in the winter months. Newly born blue
       whales are massive in their own right, measuring
       6.5-8m(21.3-26.5ft)in total body length and weighing 2 tons;
       from fertilization to birth, blue whales have the highest growth
       rate speed of any known mammals.
       Reference
       {1}Wood, Gerald. Guinness book of animal facts and feats (1973)
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