RAMS taxon details
Balaena Linnaeus, 1758
Balena Scopoli, 1777 · unaccepted (synonym)
- Species Balaena antarctica Lesson, 1828 accepted as Eubalaena australis (Desmoulins, 1822) (synonym)
- Species Balaena antipodarum Gray, 1864 accepted as Caperea marginata (Gray, 1846) (synonym)
- Species Balaena antipodum Gray, 1843 accepted as Eubalaena australis (Desmoulins, 1822) (synonym)
- Species Balaena boops Linnaeus, 1758 accepted as Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus, 1758) (synonym)
- Species Balaena boops Fabricius, 1780 accepted as Megaptera novaeangliae (Borowski, 1781) (synonym)
- Species Balaena glacialis Mueller, 1776 accepted as Eubalaena australis (Desmoulins, 1822) (synonym)
- Species Balaena hectori Gray, 1874 accepted as Eubalaena australis (Desmoulins, 1822) (synonym)
- Species Balaena marginata Gray, 1846 accepted as Caperea marginata (Gray, 1846) (synonym)
- Species Balaena microcephala Tomilin, 1957 accepted as Balaenoptera acutorostrata Lacépède, 1804 (synonym)
- Species Balaena minima Rapp, 1837 accepted as Balaenoptera acutorostrata Lacépède, 1804 (synonym)
- Species Balaena musculus Linnaeus, 1758 accepted as Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus, 1758) (basionym)
- Species Balaena nodosa Bonnaterre, 1789 accepted as Megaptera novaeangliae (Borowski, 1781) (synonym)
- Species Balaena quoyi Fischer, 1829 accepted as Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus, 1758) (synonym)
- Species Balaena rostrata Fabricius, 1780 accepted as Balaenoptera acutorostrata Lacépède, 1804 (synonym)
marine, terrestrial
Linnaeus, C. (1758). <i>Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis</i>. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm]. [iii] + 824 pp. , available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886 [details] Available for editors 
Perrin, W.F. (2021). World Cetacea Database. Balaena Linnaeus, 1758. Accessed through: De Broyer, C.; Clarke, A.; Koubbi, P.; Pakhomov, E.; Scott, F.; Vanden Berghe, E. and Danis, B. (Eds.) (2021) Register of Antarctic Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/rams./aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=137012 on 2026-06-01
De Broyer, C.; Clarke, A.; Koubbi, P.; Pakhomov, E.; Scott, F.; Vanden Berghe, E. and Danis, B. (Eds.) (2026). Register of Antarctic Marine Species. Balaena Linnaeus, 1758. Accessed at: https://www.marinespecies.org/rAMS/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=137012 on 2026-06-01
Date
action
by
original description
Linnaeus, C. (1758). <i>Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis</i>. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm]. [iii] + 824 pp. , available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886 [details] Available for editors
basis of record van der Land, J. (2001). Tetrapoda, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 375-376 (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). , available online at http://www.itis.gov [details]
basis of record van der Land, J. (2001). Tetrapoda, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 375-376 (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). , available online at http://www.itis.gov [details]
