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namu-the-orca — Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera brydei/edeni)
#animal #balaenoptera #baleen #bryde #great #illustration #scientific #whale #whales #whaling #rorqual #mysticete #balaenopteridae #second #brydei
Published: 2015-09-16 15:51:03 +0000 UTC; Views: 6076; Favourites: 122; Downloads: 0
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Description
Species depicted: Bryde's whale complex (Balaenoptera brydei/edeni)Time taken: 4 hr 30 min
References used: many, none particularly
Tools of the trade: Photoshop CS5
Remember that mysticete commission I'd finished? Yeah, me neither. It's been way too long. Time to finish uploading these great whales! We're almost there... here's the sixth-to-last mysticete: the Bryde's whale! Or maybe I should say Bryde's whaleS, because the Bryde's whale complex is a taxonomic stew to say the least. First described in 1878 as Balaenoptera edeni, based on a type specimen from Burma, in 1913 another new species was described, based on about a dozen or so odd 'Sei whales' from Norway. This second species was called Balaenoptera brydei, having been named after Johan Bryde (which is strangely pronounced 'Brewde'). Then in 1950 a Dutch scientist compared specimens from both species with a third individual stranded on Pulu Sugi Island, and synonymised the two species into a single one: Balaenoptera brydei.
Today however the two are often seen as separate again, with the Bryde's whale (B. brydei) being the larger, cosmopolitan species, and the Sittang or Eden's whale (B. edeni) being the smaller form that may be restricted to the Indo-pacific. However the mysteries do not end there. Of course in 2003 Omura's whale has been described as a species separate from B. brydei, there appears to be a pygmy form off the coast of South Africa, and the Indo-Pacific possibly houses another kind of Bryde's whale which differs in skull morphology. So much taxonomic mystery, and so little definite information and solid research. Let's hope for some new studies in the future that can finally shed a light on this complex!
Whatever its name though, this Bryde's whale at least is a pretty guy. Diagnostic of the species are the three rostral ridges, instead of the more usual single one. They are also exquisitely marked with several chevrons on their shoulder and sides, and flipper shadows like most of the Balaenopterids. Also, while some have more faded facial patterns, there's also Bryde's whales out there with a very clear mask, which is what I've decided to showcase here. And his peduncle is looking like the surface of the moon because of cookie cutter sharks - one of the disadvantages of dwelling in warm waters for most of your life.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
All submissions in this gallery, be it photos, paintings or drawings, are copyrighted to me, Namu-the-orca/Frédérique Lucas. No one has the right to alter, distribute, copy or use my art without my written permission unless stated otherwise. My submissions are NOT stock
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Comments: 35
You did a pretty good job on this! Whales are some of the planet's most-loved animals ever, and I want to go whale watching someday.
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Thank you again 
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The indo pacific fact is reonating with some dreams i want to clarify, hmm! Can you confirm if this is edens whale? The description of the eden types habitat specificity is resonating but it seem the one im thinking has more subtle markings, yet still smaller than a sei, but bigger than minkes! orig04.deviantart.net/f1a1/f/2…
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What you linked to is my illustration of a Sei whale. Closely related to Bryde's/Eden's, but a separate species. I cannot comment on differences between Eden's and Bryde's whales, unfortunately! Scientists still don't know what is going on with the species, and what names belong to what animals. There's a lot of info on the internet about the Bryde's whale complex though, like on wiki: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryde%27…
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I would never imagine that they had such markings, in most photos and illustrations that i saw they were just grey with a white belly
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It is a thin line to walk when illustrating baleen whales. Their huge size and the fact of underwater conditions often means these giants, when captured on photo or film, indeed appear to be plain grey with a lighter belly. And that is how you will often see them portrayed in illustrations as well. It is only when you see photos in close up, or when an animal strands, that their true colouration can shine through. However, in illustrating these 'true' colours you often somehow end up with a whale that looks less real. Simply because we mostly know them as the plain grey giants.
It's something that actually bothers me a bit with my own illustrations - on one hand I strive to portray them as detailed and accurately as possible. On the other hand I sometimes don't like what that gives as a result. However, I can assure you that all these markings are based on real, living whales. In fact, I can show you right here in some of the references I used that these markings really are there: orig06.deviantart.net/cd4a/f/2… (none of these photos are mine) You just don't get to see them most of the time 
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Sounds like you had a very long research to do the markings correctly, well done 
In my opinion The enhanced markings can be seen as a positive quality when you depicts whales that have more uniform colorations, like Bryde's Whale and Sei Whale
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Yeah, I did, though not quite as long as I'd have liked. But well, deadlines you know
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best comment alert
no really they're so pretty but somehow always when i look back at these after a few weeks or so i go 'this could be better...'. why does that never become apparent at a more artistically helpful time??
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NAMU, THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT IT COULD ALWAYS BE BETTER. U COULD BE THE BEST ARTIST IN THE WORLD AND STILL LOOK AT UR SHIT AND BE LIKE
"THIS COULD BE BETTER"
IT IS A CURSED EXISTENCE WE LEAD. WHICH IS WHY SOMETIMES WE MUST GO "FUCK IT" AND THROW CAUTION TO THE WIND, OR NOTHING WILL EVER STAY DONE.
UR WHALE IS BEAUTIFUL
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YES THAT IS TRUE BUT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOING 'THIS PAINTING COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BETTER' AND 'THERE ARE ACTUAL, ANATOMICAL THINGS WRONG WITH THIS WHALE AND HIS MARKINGS'
AND IT IS THE LATTER THAT COME BACK TO BOTHER ME. WITH REAL PAINTING PIECES I CAN SHRUG IT OFF AND SAY "FUCK IT I'LL DO BETTER NEXT TIME" OR JUST GO "FUCK EVERYTHING" AND TRY WILDLY ADVENTUROUS THINGS I'M ALREADY CERTAIN OF WILL BE FAILURES BECAUSE HELL. BUT WITH SCIENTIFIC STUFF LIKE THIS IT JUST ANNOYS THE FRICK OUT OF ME TO LATER ON COME BACK AND GO "GEEZ THAT HEAD REALLY IS ACTUALLY TOO BIG WHY DID I DO THAT? AND WHY DID I PAINT THE MARKINGS LIKE THIS THAT LOOKS STUPID"
HE MAY BE PRETTY BUT HE'S ALSO PHYSICALLY AWKWARD.
BUT THANK FOR YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH AND KINDNESS.
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IS THERE A DIFFERENCE? BECAUSE I JUST SEE A LARNING EXPERIENCE
also fuck if i can see the anatomical anomalies of ur whale, i dont even know how whales work. i guess i should probably like ... drawwww themmmm or something :'D
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YES THERE IS. ONE IS SCIENCE FOR SCIENCE PEOPLE. THE OTHER IS RANDOM SHIT I DRAW FOR ME. BOTH IS LARNING EXPERIENCE.
yes yes yes you should. go draw whales. lots of them. and preferably weird ones like humpbacks or bowheads.
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Excellent! Good to see another cetacean coming from you.
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Thank you very much
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^_^
how are you,have a great weekend my buddy
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Thank you very much!
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