Marine Mammals - Final Flashcards
(39 cards)
What are 5 unique characteristics of mammals?
- Hair
- Warm blooded
- Breathe air
- Four chambered heart
- Bear live young (viviporous)
What are 5 unique characteristics unique to marine mammals?
- STREAMLINE body shape
- LIMB modification as flippers
- THERMAL regulation (thick skin, blubber, large size)
- Modified RESPIRATORY system
- OSMOTIC adaptations
- ECHOLOCATION
Provide 5 characteristics that enhances marine mammals’ ability to thermoregulate.
- LARGE size
- LOW surface to volume ratio
- THICK skin
- BLUBBER
- reduced peripheral CIRCULATION (blubber with few blood vessels)
- Higher METABOLIC rate
Provide 5 additional physical features that indicate convergent evolution has occurred.
- ?
Which 2 suborders fall under the the order CETACEA?
- MYSTECETI
- ODONTOCETI
What are the common names of the two suborders MYSTECETI and ODONTOCETI?
- MYSTECETI: Baleen Whale
- ODONTOCETI: Toothed Whale
How do the suborders Mysteceti (Baleen Whale) and odontoceti (Toothed Whale) differ with respect to TEETH?
- Mysteceti: teeth LACKING
- Odontoceti: teeth PRESENT
How do the suborders Mysteceti and odontoceti differ with respect to BALEEN?
- Mysteceti: baleen plate PRESENT
- Odontoceti: baleen plates ABSENT
How do the suborders Mysteceti and odontoceti differ with respect to NASAL openings?
- Mysteceti: PAIRED external nasal openings
- Odontoceti: SINGLE external nasal opening
How do the suborders Mysteceti and odontoceti differ with respect to STERNUM?
- Mysteceti: relatively SMALL, few ribs, can NOT withstand beaching
- Odontoceti: LONG and robust, CAN withstand beaching
How do the suborders Mysteceti and odontoceti differ with respect to COMMUNICATION?
- Mysteceti: Series of MOANS, SQUEAKS, and SCREAMS
- Odontoceti: WHISTLES and ECHOLOCATION
For the suborder MYSTECETI, what is whale bone?
- BALEEN
What is ECHOLOCATION?
- Rapid sounds, like clicks, into blind areas and notes times to travel to and from an object
Describe migratory patterns of baleen whales.
- HIGHLY migratory
- Move towards high lattitude feeding areas (polar) in summer to low altitude calving areas (tropical) in winter
- Average 3000 - 5000 km migration each way
- Gray whale : 10,000 km migration each way
How do baleen wales feed?
- Filter feeding using comb like baleen plates that grow from the roof of their mouths
- Filters plankton, copeopods, and small fish from sea water
Which 3 families fall under the suborder MYSTECETI?
- Roqual
- Grey whale
- Right whale
Which species belongs to the family ROQUAL (5)?
Fastest?
Largest?
- BLUE whale (RED LISTED), FIN whale (RED LISTED), HUMPBACK whale, MINKE whale, SEI whale (RED LISTED)
- Largest: BLUE whale
- Fastest: SEI whale
What are some distinguishing characteristics of ROQUAL whales (6)?
- UNFUSED neck vertebrate
- LONGITUDINAL GROOVES on throat
- Small pointed DORSAL fin
- PLEATS of skin on throat (unfold when mouth opens for large opening!) (25-100)
- LONG slender body
- Pointed snout
Which species belong to the GREY WHALE family (1)?
- GREY whale (BLUE LISTED)
What are some distinguishing characteristics of GREY whales (4)?
- UNFUSED neck vertebrate
- FEW throat PLEATS (2-4)
- SMALL Dorsal hump followed by a series of bumps
- BOTTOM FORAGERS (amphipods)
What are the white blotches on the body of a GREY whale?
- Parasitic Barnacles
Describe the migration patterns of the GREY whale?
- Migrate from November - early December from north to Baja California,
- Do not feed during breeding season
- February - May, they begin migrating back north
- 10,000km each way
What species belong to the RIGHT whale family (1)?
- North Pacific Right Whale (RED LISTED)
What are some distinguishing characteristics of RIGHT whales (4)?
- NO DORSAL fin
- NO THROAT grooves
- LONG BALEEN PLATES
- HUGE arched JAW
- all 7 neck vertebrae are FUSED