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SC/68B/SH/12 

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Resource details

Resource ID

17409

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Full Title

Sexual and physical maturity of pygmy blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda)

Author

Sazhinov EG (translation by Trevor A. Branch and Yulia Ivashchenko)

Publisher

International Whaling Commission

Publication Year

2020

IWC Document Number

SC/68B/SH/12

Abstract

Most female blue pygmy whales reach puberty when reaching a length of 19.2 m, and at 9-11 ear plug layers, which corresponds to 4.5-5.5 years old. Males reach puberty at a shorter length (18.7 m) and at 10 ear plug layers, or 5 years old.
Physical maturity in females occurs upon reaching lengths 21.7-22.0 m, with the accumulation of 30-40 ear plug layers, i.e. at 15-20 years of life; and males reach physical maturity at 21.0-2 1.4 m and 35-45 ear plug layers, corresponding to 17-22 years of life.

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 03 - IWC Scientific Committee / Scientific Committee Meeting Papers / SC68B | Virtual Meetings 2020 / SH Sub-committee on Other Southern Hemisphere Whale Stocks