Hybridization, defined as breeding between two distinct taxonomic units, can have an
important effect on the evolutionary patterns in cross-breeding taxa. Although interspecific …

The great whales (baleen and sperm whales), through their massive size and wide
distribution, influence ecosystem and carbon dynamics. Whales directly store carbon in their …

Studies of cetacean evolution using genetics and other biomolecules have come a long way—
from the use of allozymes and short sequences of mitochondrial or nuclear DNA to the …

It is generally recognized that large-scale whaling in the 19th and 20th century led to a
substantial reduction of the size of many cetacean populations, particularly those of the …

The role of interspecific hybridization has recently seen increasing attention, especially in
the context of diversification dynamics. Genomic research has now made it abundantly clear …

Population genomics has great potential to inform applied conservation management and
associated policy. However, the bioinformatic analyses and interpretation of population …

Over the past two decades researchers have documented the extent of natural hybridization
between closely related species using genomic tools. Many species across the tree of life …

Baleen whale migration emerges as a foundational theme of cetacean behavioral ecology
and the relationships that bind humans and whales together. From facilitating the …

The fin whale Balaenoptera physalus is a large rorqual species occurring worldwide, mainly
in temperate and subpolar zones. In contrast to many baleen whales, not all the fin whale …

The blue whale is an endangered and globally distributed species of baleen whale with
multiple described subspecies, including the morphologically and genetically distinct pygmy …