Humpback Whale, adult and calf (Monterey Bay Aquarium Collection by Safari Ltd.)
5 (6 votes)
The sounds of whales often fill the ambiance of the ocean, and none are more popular than the songs of the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). This species traditionally occupies the sole Balaenopterid genus outside of Balaenoptera, but molecular studies position the humpback as the closest relative of the fin whale (B.phylsaus), rendering Balaenoptera paraphyletic.