On behalf of my coauthors, I'm pleased to announce the publication of our paper in the *Journal of Mammalogy, *entitled, *Revision of fin whale Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus, 1758) subspecies using genetics* Frederick I Archer, Robert L Brownell, Brittany L Hancock-Hanser, Phillip A Morin, Kelly M Robertson, Kathryn K Sherman, John Calambokidis, Jorge Urbán R, Patricia E Rosel, Sally A Mizroch, Simone Panigada, Barbara L Taylor https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyz121 *Abstract* Three subspecies of fin whales (*Balaenoptera physalus*) are currently recognized, including the northern fin whale (*B. p. physalus*), the southern fin whale (*B. p. quoyi*), and the pygmy fin whale (*B. p. patachonic*a). The Northern Hemisphere subspecies encompasses fin whales in both the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. A recent analysis of 154 mitogenome sequences of fin whales from these two ocean basins and the Southern Hemisphere suggested that the North Pacific and North Atlantic populations should be treated as different subspecies. Using these mitogenome sequences, in this study, we conduct analyses on a larger mtDNA control region data set, and on 23 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 144 of the 154 samples in the mitogenome data set. Our results reveal that North Pacific and North Atlantic fin whales can be correctly assigned to their ocean basin with 99% accuracy. Results of the SNP analysis indicate a correct classification rate of 95%, very low rates of gene flow among ocean basins, and that distinct mitogenome matrilines in the North Pacific are interbreeding. These results indicate that North Pacific fin whales should be recognized as a separate subspecies, with the name *B. p. velifera* Cope in Scammon 1869 as the oldest available name. -- *Eric Archer, Ph.D.* Southwest Fisheries Science Center (NMFS/NOAA) 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive La Jolla, CA 92037 USA 858-546-7121 (work) 858-546-7003 (FAX) Marine Mammal Genetics Group: swfsc.noaa.gov/mmtd-mmgenetics GitHub: github.com/ericarcher Adjunct Professor, Marine Biology Scripps Institution of Oceanography University of California, San Diego http://profiles.ucsd.edu/frederick.archer " *The universe doesn't care what you believe. The wonderful thing about science is that it doesn't ask for your faith, it just asks for your eyes.*" - Randall Munroe "*Lighthouses are more helpful than churches.*" - Benjamin Franklin "*...but I'll take a GPS over either one.*" - John C. "Craig" George