Bryde's whale

Bryde's whales are sleek rorquals with a mysterious family tree—scientists still debate how many species exist. They glide through warm tropical and temperate oceans worldwide, with some smaller types sticking to coastal areas. These whales are named after a Norwegian whaler but keep surprising us with their hidden diversity.

• Some Bryde's whales have slightly different skull shapes in the Indo-Pacific.
• One population lives only in the Gulf of Mexico (now called Rice's whale).
• They were once confused with Omura's whales, now recognized as separate.