{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,3]],"date-time":"2026-05-03T07:49:43Z","timestamp":1777794583795,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":50,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2013,2,28]],"date-time":"2013-02-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1362009600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["The Anatomical Record"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2013,4]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title><jats:p>The external anatomy of a 130\u2010mm blue whale fetus (<jats:italic>Balaenoptera musculus<\/jats:italic>) is described, and its internal anatomy is reconstructed noninvasively from microCT scans. The specimen lies developmentally at the junction of the embryonic and fetal periods. Similarly to the embryos of many odontocetes, it lacks a caudal fluke and dorsal fin, but it also exhibits an elongated rostrum, resorbed umbilical hernia, partially exposed cornea, and spatial separation of the anus and genitalia seen in early odontocete fetuses. Dermal ossification of the cranial bones has begun, but the endochondral skeleton is completely cartilaginous. The shape and position of the maxilla suggest that the earliest stages of anterior skull telescoping have begun, but there is no indication of occipital overlap posteriorly. The nasopharynx, larynx, and heart already display the distinctive morphology characteristic of <jats:italic>Balaenoptera<\/jats:italic>. This study develops a model of body length changes during blue whale development by integrating the large International Whaling Statistics (IWS) database, historical observations of blue whale migration and reproduction, and descriptions of fetal growth trends in other mammals. The model predicts an age of 65 days postconception for the specimen. The early developmental milestones of <jats:italic>Balaenoptera<\/jats:italic> mirror those of the odontocete <jats:italic>Stenella<\/jats:italic> to a remarkable extent, but the first appearance of the caudal fluke and dorsal fin are delayed relative to other morphological transitions. The accelerated prenatal growth characteristic of <jats:italic>Balaenoptera<\/jats:italic> occurs during fetal, not embryonic, development. Anat Rec, 296:709\u2013722, 2013. \u00a9 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1002\/ar.22678","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2014,6,9]],"date-time":"2014-06-09T05:21:07Z","timestamp":1402291267000},"page":"709-722","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":24,"title":["Anatomy and Age Estimation of an Early Blue Whale (<i>Balaenoptera musculus<\/i>) Fetus"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"296","author":[{"given":"Rachel A.","family":"Roston","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biological Sciences Wellesley College Wellesley Massachusetts"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"David","family":"Lickorish","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Preclinical Development Stryker Regenerative Medicine Hopkinton Massachusetts"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Emily A.","family":"Buchholtz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biological Sciences Wellesley College Wellesley Massachusetts"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2013,2,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_6_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1159\/000146744"},{"key":"e_1_2_6_3_1","first-page":"481","article-title":"Recherches sur l'enc\u00e9phale des Balaenides","volume":"19","author":"Beauregard H.","year":"1883","journal-title":"Journal de l'anatomie et de la physiologie normales et pathalogiques de l'homme et des animaux"},{"key":"e_1_2_6_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1748-7692.2010.00411.x"},{"issue":"1912","key":"e_1_2_6_5_1","first-page":"145","article-title":"Report of the committee appointed to investigate the Biological Problems incidental to the Belmullet Whaling Station","author":"Burfield ST","year":"1912","journal-title":"82nd Report to the British Association on the State of Science for"},{"key":"e_1_2_6_6_1","first-page":"119","article-title":"Zur Entwicklungsgeschichte des Walsch\u00e4dels III. 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