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Concept
Rice's whale
Résumé
Rice's whale (Balaenoptera ricei), also known as the Gulf of Mexico whale, is a species of baleen whale endemic to the northern Gulf of Mexico. Initially identified as a subpopulation of the Bryde's whale, genetic and skeletal studies found it to be a distinct species by 2021. In outward appearance, it is virtually identical to the Bryde's whale. Its body is streamlined and sleek, with a uniformly dark charcoal gray dorsal and pale to pinkish underside. A diagnostic feature often used by field scientists to distinguish Rice's whales from whales other than the Bryde's whale is the three prominent ridges that line the top of its head. The species can be distinguished from the Bryde's whale by the shape of the nasal bones, which have wider gaps due to a unique wrapping by the frontal bones, its unique vocal repertoire, and genetic differences.
It is a medium-sized baleen whale that grows up to in length and weighs up to . The Rice's whale inhabits a restricted stretch along the continental slope in the northeastern part of the Gulf of Mexico between depths of off the coast of western Florida, although some whales have been sighted in the northwestern portions and the species may have inhabited a wider distribution throughout the Gulf in historical times. It does not migrate but remains within this area year-round. Little is known about the feeding behavior of Rice's whales, but data from a tagged individual revealed a diel vertical diving pattern, in which the whale spends most of the day feeding at or near the seafloor at depths of up to and night at the surface. The whale's diet remains unknown, but lanternfish and hatchetfish are suspected prey.
The Rice's whale is on the brink of extinction and, alongside the vaquita, is one of the most endangered cetaceans in the world. It is listed as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List and protected under the United States Endangered Species Act. The best population estimate is 33, with as little as 16 mature individuals, and the population is continuing to decline.
Source officielle
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