Term
| List 5 Characteristics of Mammals |
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Definition
1) Breathe Air with Lungs
2) Endothermic - Warm Blooded
3) Have Hair at some point in their life cycle
4) Viviparous- Give birth to live young
5) Nurse their young with mammary glands |
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Term
| Describe the difference between the feeding behaviors of Baleen and Toothed Whales. |
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Definition
Baleen Whales used Baleen plates to filter feed. They have no teeth.
Toothed Whales used teeth to grasp and tear their food. |
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Term
How many blowholes do Baleen and Toothed Whales have? |
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Definition
| Baleen Whales have double blowholes. Toothed Whales have single blowholes. |
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Term
Describe the sexual dimorphism in Baleen Whales. |
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Definition
| Female Baleen Whales are larger than the Males Baleen Whales. |
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Term
Describe the sexual dimorphism in
Toothed Whales. |
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Definition
| Male Toothed Whales are larger than Female Toothed Whales. |
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Term
| Describe the differences in the socialization of Baleen Whales and Toothed Whales. |
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Definition
| Baleen Whales are mostly Solitary except during migration while Toothed Whales are social forming groups called pods/herds. |
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Term
| Describe the differences in vocalization in Baleen and Toothed Whales. |
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Definition
| Baleen whales use low frequency sounds while Toothed whales use high frequency sounds. |
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Term
| What is the largest species of Baleen Whale? |
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Definition
| The Blue Whale is the largest species of Baleen Whale. |
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Term
| What is the largest species of Toothed Whale? |
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Definition
| The Sperm Whale is the largest species of Toothed Whale. |
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Term
| Can Whales use Echolocation? |
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Definition
| Toothed Whales use echolocation. Baleen Whales do not. |
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Term
| Describe the differences between Dolphins and Porpoises. |
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Definition
Dolphins have sharp, cone shaped teeth while Porpoises have spade shaped teeth.
Dolphins have falcate (curved back) dorsal fins while porpoises have triangular shaped dorsal fins. Dolphins have an elongated rostrum while porpoises have a blunt more rounded rostrum that blends in with their forehead. |
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Term
| Describe the function of the Cetacean Adaptation of a fusiform body shape. |
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Definition
| The fusiform body shape (torpedo shaped with tapered ends) is hydrodynamic, reducing drag and is energy efficient for swimming. |
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Term
| Describe the function of the Cetacean Adaptation of pectoral flippers. |
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Definition
| The forelimbs of all Cetaceans have all the skeletal elements of terrestrial mammals but are modified into a paddle-shape where the bones are supported by connective tissue. The pectoral flippers are used to steer and with help from the tail flukes to stop. |
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Term
| Describe the function of the Cetacean Adaptation of tail flukes. |
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Definition
| Each lobe of the tail is a fluke which are made up of tough fibrous connective tissue with no bone or muscle. The up and down movement of the flukes propel the whale in a forward direction and vertically propel the whale out of the water. |
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Term
| Describe the function of the Cetacean Adaptation of a Dorsal Fin. |
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Definition
| The Dorsal Fin on top of the back of many whales is made of dense fibrous connective tissue with no bone. It is thought to provide stability as the whales swims similar to the keel on a sailboat. It is also thought to play a role in thermoregulation since it is highly vascularized. |
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Term
| Describe the function of the Cetacean Adaptation of a blowhole. |
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Definition
| The blowhole located on top of the whale's head is a modified nasal opening used to breathe air. Baleen whales have two blowholes and Toothed whales have one. The blowhole is covered by a muscular flap that create a water tight seal. The blowhole is closed when relaxed and must be contracted open in order to breathe. |
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Term
| Describe the function of the Cetacean Adaptation of a Mucous Tear. |
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Definition
| A Mucous Tear is secreted from a gland at the outer cornea and eyelids. This mucous tear lubricates, cleans and protects the eyes acting much like a pair of goggles. |
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Term
| Describe the function of the Cetacean Adaptation of Teeth. |
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Definition
| The Toothed Whales have conical(dolphins), spade shaped (porpoises) or peg shaped (beluga whales) teeth designed for tearing and grasping prey when they feed. |
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Term
| Describe the function of the Cetacean Adaptation of Baleen. |
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Definition
| Long, stiff, bristly baleen plates made mostly of keratin (a protein based substance that hair, fingernails, hooves and claws are made of) grow down from the upper gums of Baleen whales. The front edges are smooth while the back edge is frayed to form a mat. These plates are used for filter feeding. |
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Term
| Describe how a whale's lack of fur is an advantage in an aquatic environment. |
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Definition
| The whale's lack of fur is an adaptation for more efficient swimming. Smooth skin creates less drag and provides for more efficient swimming. |
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Term
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Definition
| Countershading is a color pattern thought to provide camouflage to help the whale hide from its prey and predators. The animal's dorsal surface is darker than their ventral side. The dark dorsal side blends in with dark ocean depths when the whale is viewed from above and the lighter ventral side blends in with the sunlight waters when the whale is viewed from below. |
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Term
| Describe DISRUPTIVE COLORATION |
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Definition
| Disruptive coloration is a contrasting color pattern that breaks up the general body shape and disguise the fins and flippers. |
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Term
| Why is hearing the most well developed sense in cetaceans? |
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Definition
| Hearing is highly valuable in the ocean, where low light levels greatly reduce the reliability of vision. Sounds travels 4.5 times faster in water than it does in air, making it especially effective under water. |
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Term
| How are sound waves received in toothed whales? |
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Definition
| Sounds are received and conducted through the lower jaw to the middle ear, inner ear and then the auditory nerve to the hearing centers in the brain. |
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Term
| How well can Cetaceans see? |
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Definition
| Most whales have excellent vision. They can see both in the air and in the water. Special modifications of the cetacean eye also correct for the refraction (bending) of light that occurs between the air and water. |
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Term
| Describe the Cetacean sense of taste. |
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Definition
| The cetacean sense of taste is not well studied. cetaceans do have the nerves and the area of the brain concerned with taste. Some whales have taste buds at the base of the tongue though their function is not clear. |
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Term
| Why do scientists believe that most whales DO NOT have a sense of smell? |
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Definition
| Olfactory nerves and lobes are absent in all toothed whales, but are possessed by baleen whales. Bowhead and minke whales have been shown to have a sense of smell in air. |
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Term
| Do whales blow water from inside their blowholes? |
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Definition
| No, the visible blow is not water rising from the blowhole, but water vapor from respiratory gasses condensing in the relatively cooler air. In addition the forceful exhalation may cause water on top of the blowhole to be atomized into tiny droplets. |
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Term
| Compare the rate of exchange of lung capacity between cetaceans and humans. |
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Definition
| Cetaceans exchange between 80-90% of their lungs capacity with each breath while humans only exchange about 17%. |
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Term
| Describe 3 physiological adaptations of the cetacean for deep diving. |
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Definition
1) Heart Rate slows significantly
2) Blood is shunted away from tissues more tolerant of low oxygen levels and concentrated in the heart, lungs and brain where oxygen is needed most.
3) Cetaceans have a higher concentration of oxygen binding proteins - hemoglobin and myoglobin. Hemoglobin carries oxygen in the blood and myoglobin stores oxygen in muscle tissue. Cetaceans can utilize the oxygen in their muscle tissue during a dive. |
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Term
| What are the 4 functions of Blubber? |
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Definition
B - Bouyancy - the ability to float
E - Energy - energy store for when food sources in their environment is not abundant.
S- Streamline- Gives a whale its fusiform shape for energy efficient swimming.
T - Thermoregulation - insulates the whale slowing the loss of body heat in cold ocean water. |
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Term
| What other adaptations cetaceans have to help them thermoregulate? |
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Definition
1) Marine mammals have a higher metabolic rate than land animals of a similar size. The increased metabolism generates a large amount of body heat
2) Whales develop most of their body fat into a thick insulating blubber layer found just underneath the skin that is composed of fat cells and fibrous connective tissue.
3) Fusiform body shape with reduced limb size reduces conserves body heat by reducing body surface area exposed to environment.
4)Countercurrent heat exchange circulatory system helps transfer heat from arteries to veins in flippers, flukes and dorsal fin.
5) Circulation increases in veins near the body surfaces and in fins, flippers, and tail flukes in warm weather or during prolonged exercise a whale may need to dissipate body heat. |
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Term
| Do whales sleep? Explain. |
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Definition
| Yes, whales sleep but sleep in cetaceans is not clearly understood. Studies suggest sleep occurs in one hemisphere of their brain at a time. This aquatic adaptation is thought to enable the whale to monitor its environment, swim and control respiration. Whales can be observed resting motionless for periods of time at the surface of the water throughout he day and night. |
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Term
| What is a pod? What are the advantages of living in a pod? |
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Definition
| A pod is a group of whales. Pods are formed for mating, caring for young, safety and finding food. A pod is a cohesive social unit based on age and sex (in some species)that exhibits some social hierarchy in most toothed whales. |
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Term
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Definition
| Toothed whales of the same species commonly "rake" or scratch each other with their teeth for competition or to establish dominance. |
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Term
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Definition
| Spyhopping is when a whale hangs vertically with their head partially above water. |
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Term
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Definition
| Breaching is when a whale jumps clear of the water and lands on their side or back. |
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Term
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Definition
| Lobtailing is when a whale slaps their flukes on the surface of the water. |
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Term
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Definition
| Porpoising is when a whale leaps clear out of the water. |
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Term
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Definition
| Pec-slapping is when a whale slaps their pectoral fin on the surface of the water. |
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Term
| Why do whales vocalize with each other? |
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Definition
| Whales probably vocalize to communicate information regarding orientation, greeting, aggression, individual recognition, or breeding purposes. |
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Term
| How are Cetacean vocalizations produced? |
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Definition
| Toothed whales produce many sounds by air movement between the nasal sacs in their blowholes. Baleen whales emit low frequency groans, thumps and knocks as well as higher frequency chirps, cries and whistles. |
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Term
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Definition
| Toothed Whales have the ability to locate and discriminate objects by producing high-frequency sound waves and receiving and interpreting the resulting echoes. Clicks from the blowhole travel through the whale's melon into the ocean water. As the sound waves strike an object, the sound waves return to the whale and travel through the lower jaw to the ear. There is no evidence that Baleen Whales echolocate. |
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Term
| How much food do whales eat a day? |
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Definition
| In general whales consume 4-6% of their body weight each day. This amount does vary with species and ranges from 1-12%. |
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Term
| Why is whales milk so rich in milk fat and protein? |
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Definition
| This rich mother's milk provides calves with the energy to quickly develop a thick, insulating layer of blubber. |
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Term
| How are whale mothers able to care for their calves? |
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Definition
Whale mother/calf bonds are very strong.
A Mother whale stays close to its calf attentively directing the calf's movements.
A Calf swims alongside its mother staying in her "slipstream" - a kind of hydrodynamic wake that develops as the mother swims.
A Mother whale is protective of her calves. |
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Term
| Describe the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972? |
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Definition
| The US Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 makes it illegal to hunt or harass any marine mammal in US waters. Its primary objective is to maintain the health and stability of the marine ecosystem and to obtain and maintain an optimum sustainable marine mammal population. It does allow certain expections: native substistence hunting, collecting or temporily restraining marine mammals for research, education and public display, and taking a restricted number of marine mammals as by catch in the course of fishing operations. |
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Term
| How are marine parks like Seaworld vital to the conservation of cetaceans? |
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Definition
| Marine zoological parks like Seaworld provide the opportunity for the public to learn about and develop an appreciation for these animals and learn how human activity impacts their survival. Scientists can examine aspects of whale biology that are difficult to study in the wild. |
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