* Domain: Eukarya
* Kingdom: Animalia
* Phylum: Chordata
* Class: Mammalia
* Order: Cetacea
* Suborder: Mysticeti
* Family: Balaenopteridae
* Genus: *Balaenoptera*
* Species: *Balaenoptera musculus*
Key points to remember:
* Eukarya: Blue whales are complex organisms with cells containing a nucleus.
* Mammalia: They are warm-blooded, have hair (though minimal in adults), nurse their young, and breathe air.
* Cetacea: This order encompasses whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
* Mysticeti: These are the "baleen whales," distinguished by having baleen plates instead of teeth. Baleen allows them to filter feed.
* Balaenopteridae: This family includes the "rorquals," a group of baleen whales known for their streamlined bodies and prominent throat grooves.
* Balaenoptera: This genus includes various species of rorquals, including fin whales, humpback whales, and, of course, blue whales.
* Balaenoptera musculus: The scientific name for the blue whale species.