| Rice's Whale | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Information | |
| Range | Gulf of Mexico |
| Scientific Classification | |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Artiodactyla |
| Family | Baelaenopteridae |
| Genus | Balaenoptera |
| Species | B. ricei |
| Conservation Status | |
 Critically Endangered | |
The Rice's whale (Balaenoptera ricei) is a species of baleen whale endemic to the northern Gulf of Mexico. It was previously identified as a subpopulation of the Bryde's whale and called the Gulf of Mexico 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.[1]
Description[]
It is a medium-sized baleen whale that grows up to 12.65 meters (41.5 ft) in length and weighs up to 13.87–27.2 metric tons (13.65–26.77 long tons; 15.29–29.98 short tons). The Rice's whale inhabits a restricted stretch along the continental slope in the northeastern part of the Gulf of Mexico between depths of 150–410 meters (490–1,350 ft) 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 271 meters (889 ft) and night at the surface. The whale's diet remains unknown, but lanternfish and hatchetfish are suspected prey.