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SC/68B/SH/12
Sexual and physical maturity of pygmy blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda)
Sazhinov EG (translation by Trevor A. Branch and Yulia Ivashchenko)
International Whaling Commission
2020
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.
