---
title: "Gewone vinvis"
description: "Balaenoptera physalus — Zoogdieren. The fin whale, also known as the finback whale or common rorqual, is a species of baleen whale and the second-longest cetacean after the blue whale."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/nl/animal/fin-whale
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Gewone vinvis

> Balaenoptera physalus — Zoogdieren. The fin whale, also known as the finback whale or common rorqual, is a species of baleen whale and the second-longest cetacean after the blue whale.

- Scientific name: *Balaenoptera physalus*
- Category: `mammals` (Zoogdieren)
- Habitats: `sea` (Zee en kust)
- iNaturalist observations: 4455
- Wikidata: [Q179020](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q179020)
- iNaturalist taxon: [41562](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/41562)

## Names

- en: Fin Whale
- de: Finnwal
- es: Ballena de aleta
- fr: Rorqual commun
- nl: Gewone vinvis
- pt: Baleia-comum
- pl: Płetwal zwyczajny

## Countries with the most observations

US (647), CA (284), CL (184), MX (67), PT (53), ES (34), NO (30), GL (27), FR (17), IT (15), SJ (14), GB (12)

## Summary

The fin whale, also known as the finback whale or common rorqual, is a species of baleen whale and the second-longest cetacean after the blue whale. The biggest individual reportedly measured 26–27.3 m (85–90 ft) in length, with a maximum recorded weight of 65.5 to 120 tonnes. The fin whale's body is long, slender, and brownish-gray in color, with a paler underside to appear less conspicuous from below (countershading).

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fin_whale

## Photo

![Gewone vinvis](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/fin-whale/medium.jpg)

Photo: Steph Brulot-Sawchyn · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/265064786

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/fin-whale?lang=nl` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).