Cetaceans Flashcards
(26 cards)
What is the blowhole in whales?
The blowhole is an opening on the top of a whale’s head used for breathing.
How do whales breathe?
Whales breathe in through the blowhole, and the air is carried to their lungs.
What happens when whales exhale with water present?
The blowhole produces a plume of water vapor.
How many blowholes do toothed and baleen whales have?
Toothed whales have one blowhole; baleen whales have two.
What can whales do with their blowhole when diving?
Whales can close their blowhole when they dive underwater.
How did the position of the blowhole evolve?
The blowhole moved from the front to the top of the head as whales evolved to be more aquatic.
Why is the blowhole’s position adaptive?
It allows the whale’s body to remain underwater while it breathes.
How do whales propel themselves in water?
Whales propel themselves forward by moving their tail flukes up and down.
What is the fastest whale?
The fastest whale is the killer whale (orca).
What do whales use their dorsal fin for?
Whales use their dorsal fin for steering.
What are pectoral fins used for in whales?
Pectoral fins are used for steering, braking, and balance.
What is homologous in whale limbs?
The bones inside the pectoral fin are homologous to other vertebrate forelimbs, including the human hand.
What is a unique feature of whale evolution?
Whales still have a floating hipbone where their ancestors’ legs once were.
What acrobatic maneuvers can whales perform?
Whales can dive, lobtail, spyhop, and breach.
What is lobtailing?
Lobtailing is when whales wave their tails in the air and then smash them down on the ocean surface.
What is spyhopping?
Spyhopping is when whales raise their heads and bodies out of the water to look around.
What is breaching?
Breaching is when whales leap out of the water completely and splash back down.
What is a pod?
Whales travel with their extended family group called a pod.
How far do whales migrate?
Whales may migrate thousands of kilometers a year.
How do whales navigate during migration?
Whales navigate using geological features on the sea floor, ocean currents, water chemistry, earth’s magnetic field, and the position of the sun.
Where do whales migrate between?
Whales migrate between their feeding and breeding grounds.
Where do whales feed in the summer?
Whales spend their summers feeding in cold, nutrient-rich waters filled with plankton.
Where do whales travel in the winter?
In the winter, they travel south to warm waters to breed and bear their young.
What do baby whales lack at birth?
Baby whales do not have thick layers of fat when they are born.
