The identity and number of species in the B. edeni-complex still remains unclear and there may be one, two or more species, and/or subspecies, and intermediate forms; and as a result the status of “Bryde’s whales” and their identity in Papuan waters remains very poorly known. Systematics of Bryde’s whales in the Indo-Pacific is obviously in need of further refinement, but based on initial cetacean surveys in Indonesia (Kahn 1999, 2001, 2003b, 2004, 2005, 2006, Kahn and Pet 2003) it would appear that at least two distinct species is present in Indonesian waters. During marine mammal surveys of the Raja Ampat Archipelago in Oct-Nov 2006 Benjamin Kahn (2007) identified "ordinary" Bryde's Whales (=B. brydei), with a worldwide distribution in the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans, which grows to about 14 m in length and a coastal “Pygmy” form (=B. edeni) which tend to be more coastal in distribution. Wada et al. (2003) concluded that B. edeni (represented by Junge’s specimen) also lies outside the clade of Sei and Bryde’s Whales for one mtDNA marker and hence proposed that it be regarded as a separate species, although statistical support for the phylogeny was weak. From an analysis of the full mtDNA genome, Sasaki et al.(2006) concluded that the Junge specimen belongs to a sister clade of the "ordinary" Bryde’s Whales (i.e. more closely related to them than either is to the Sei or Omura's Whale). They agreed that it should be classified as a separate species (B. edeni) from other Bryde's Whales (B. brydei). However, the divergence is relatively shallow, and the two forms could reasonably still be considered subspecies. In order to fully resolve the identity and number of species in the "Bryde's Whale complex" present in Papuan waters it is also necessary to verify whatever or not the recently described B. omurai (Wada, Oishi & Yamada, 2003) is present in the region; it clearly isn’t uncommon in the Solomon Sea and specimens from the Bohol Sea, Philippines previously attributed to B. edeni is now believed to correspond to B. omurai (Sasaki et al. 2006). The taxonomic position of “Bryde’s whales” in PNG waters remains virtually unknown as no research has been undertaken; based on the documented records made in coastal waters one could assume that these records relate to the coastal “Pygmy” form? Which obviously is common along the southern coastline of Western New Guinea (Bintuni and Triton bays).
- Geographic Range: West Papua: Bintuni Bay (Kahn et al. 2000); a Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) of marine mammals was conducted in Berau/Bintuni Bay in late 2005, during which one individual was observed in shallow waters around 40km southwest of Saengga with local communities confirming the existence of Baleen whales in the Berau/Bintuni Bay, there is however no indication whatever their presence is seasonal (Kahn et al. 2006); local reports from coastal waters near the Island rocks south of Palau Kawe, NW Waigeo; deeper waters off W. Waigeo; sporadic baleen whale sightings reported from Mayalibit Bay may relate to this species (Kahn, 2007); occasionally observed off Kofiau and south-east Misool (Renosari, 2007). An individual found dead on Namatote Island, Bitsyari Bay on 29 September 2007 (Mustika et. al., 2009). Frequent reports of “medium-sized baleen whales” in Triton Bay may indicate that these Papuan waters could be an important habitat or Indonesian ‘hotspot’ for this enigmatic tropical baleen whale species (Kahn, 2007); in 2008 a resident pod of Bryde's Whales was found during marine mammals surveys off Kaimana, Triton Bay (surveys undertaken by the State University of Papua) which regularly move between Bitsyari and Triton Bays via the Namatote Strait in a predictable migratory route, and where additional records has been made subsequently (I. Khunko pers. obs). Occasional sightings made in the shallow waters between Salawati and Batanta (S. Hogberg pers. obs.). Adult individual (5m) found stranded on beach in Waisai Bay, Waigeo on January 4th 2009, still alive and dragged back out at sea by locals (Marine Mammal Stranding Records, Marine Mammal Indonesia Yahoo Group). Papua New Guinea: reported as occasionally sighted in the Gulf of Papua; confirmed sightings in coastal waters off Port Moresby (S. Hogberg pers. obs June-August 2009); which form these records relates to remains unknown. Members of the "Bryde's Whale complex"is likely to be the most abundant whales along the shallow, southern coastline of PNG, but documented records currently lack to support this. Unusually small Balaenoptera whales with characteristics fitting “Bryde’s whales”has been identified during recent cetaceans watching activities in the Milne Bay (I. Khunko pers. obs.) with documented records off Alotau (Milne Bay), south Fergusson as well as off south-west Goodenough (D'Entrecasteaux Islands). The taxonomic position of this recently? Discovered population remains unknown. Six specimens of B. omurai were taken in deep water in the Solomon Sea in 1976, and reported as unusually small Bryde’s whales (Ohsumi 1978); none of the Balaenoptera whales so far observed in the Milne Bay Province has been studied in great detail nor has any skin samples been collected for genetic analysis, and as long as neither is research further the identity of these small Balaenoptera whales remains unknown. Is the “Pygmy” Bryde’s whale present in these waters? Is this form attributed to B. omurai? The distribution of B. omurai remains insufficient known, it is most probably present in PNG waters but no population has yet been identified.
- Natural history, habitat and ecology:
- Literature cited -