Blue and Fin Whales Cross-Breeding

[GordMay]

Blue and Fin Whales, World's Largest Animals, Cross-Breeding at a Surprising Rate

A new study [1] has revealed a surprising level of cross-breeding, between the world's two largest species: blue whales and fin whales.
Researchers, from Canada and Norway, sequenced the genome of the North Atlantic blue whale [Balaenoptera musculus musculus], and discovered about 3.5 percent of the group's DNA came from fin whales [Balaenoptera physalus].
They wrote in a paper, published in the journal Conservation Genetics on Saturday, January 6. [1]
This is remarkable, as they are not sibling species, and diverged about 8.35 million years ago.

[1] “Population structure and history of North Atlantic Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus musculus) inferred from whole genome sequence analysis” ~ by Jossey, S., Haddrath, O., Loureiro, L. et al
➥ https://link.springer.com/article/10...92-023-01584-5

See also:
“Whole-genome sequencing of the blue whale and other rorquals finds signatures for introgressive gene flow” ~ by Úlfur Árnason et al
➥ https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/sciadv.aap9873

[GordMay]

Fin Whale Stranded on Oregon Beach, was "Emaciated, Entangled, & Raked"

Originally Posted by NOAA Fisheries

The fin whale that stranded on Monday at Sunset Beach State Park in Oregon was emaciated and likely died from an underlying illness, a necropsy concluded on Tuesday. The fin whale was a subadult male, about 46 feet long, and appeared to be thin and emaciated. The necropsy team, which included a pathologist, collected tissue samples to help identify any illness that could have led to the cause of death. The whale came ashore entangled, the injuries associated with the entanglement appeared to be fresh and superficial. The team also recorded wounds from killer whales, called “rake marks”. We expect the pathology analysis in 2 to 3 weeks...

More, from NOAA Fisheries West Coast:
➥ https://www.facebook.com/NOAAFisheri...ref=embed_post

“Fin Whale: Conservation & Management” ~ NOAA Fisheries
➥ https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/speci...ion-management

“FIN WHALE (Balaenoptera physalus velifera ): California/Oregon/Washington Stock”
➥ https://media.fisheries.noaa.gov/202...tag=MSF0951a18

[RichMartin]

Cliff notes on the impications?