A research team from the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Center (SBiK-F), the former LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG), and Goethe University Frankfurt has gained fascinating genetic insights into the evolution of the largest animal on earth, the iconic blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus). Their study, published in the journal “Molecular Ecology,” provides evidence that blue whales from the North Pacific and North Atlantic may represent separate subspecies. Conservation measures should be specifically adapted to the individual populations, according to the researchers from Frankfurt. Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) can reach a length of up to 30 meters and weigh over 180 tons, making them the largest known whale species…