Dolpin (5) Flashcards
How do bottlenose dolphins often announced their presence?
Bottlenose dolphins often announce their presence by splashing and sporting..
What remarkable ability have dolphins demonstrated in tests regarding echolocation?
Distinguishing between fish based on texture or internal structure
- What happens to dolphins that are deaf or deafened?
- What does this contrast with?
- They become frightened, disoriented, and reluctant to move
- This contrasts with their behavior when blind or blindfolded.
Does cetacean intelligence equal or surpass human intelligence?
No definitive proof exists - intelligence is defined differently for humans and cetaceans.
What is the challenge in understanding cetacean communication?
We do not yet understand their communication fully - modern explorations into interspecies communication are just beginning.
How long have Odontocetes been refining their acoustic apparatus?
About 50 million years
This long evolution contributes to their proficiency in sonar.
- How did the earliest cetaceans change their body shape?
- What did this change help to reduce?
- They became streamlined and evolved a spindle-shaped body
- This change helped reduce drag in water.
What feature did early cetaceans lose to aid in their aquatic adaptation?
Drag-producing hair
What layer did cetaceans develop to stay warm in the marine environment?
A blubber layer
What changes occurred in the appendages of cetaceans?
Legs, paws, and tails evolved into paddle-shaped fins and flukes
Where did the nostrils of cetaceans migrate to, and why?
From the front of the face to the top of the head.
- What is the scientific name for baleen whales?
- What is the name derived from?
Mysticeti - mysticeti is derived from the Greek words for moustache and whale.
- How do baleen whales differ from toothed whales in their feeding strategy?
- What does this allow them to take advantage of?
- Baleen whales consume enormous numbers of very small prey instead of seizing one or two moderate-sized prey
- This adaptation allows them to take advantage of seasonal blooms of small organisms.
What is a significant behavior exhibited by baleen whales in response to food availability?
Migrations to and from feeding grounds - these migrations can involve journeys of thousands of miles.
What are baleen plates similar to in texture?
Fingernails! :D
How many baleen plates are typically found in a whale’s mouth?
Several hundred - the actual number varies from species to species and individual to individual.
What is the spacing between baleen plates?
A little less than 1cm apart
What do baleen plates resemble when viewed collectively?
A palm frond attached to the whale’s upper gum.
What unique feature do baleen whales have apart from baleen plates?
Two external nostrils, or blowholes.
How much plankton can a right whale filter per day?
Approximately two tons (1,700 kg).
What is the feeding strategy of fin and blue whales?
They swim rapidly to herd schools of prey and lunge to capture them.
What anatomical feature allows large whales to trap food and water?
Longitudinal pleats of skin extending from the chin to the chest or belly region - these make the mouths of whales highly expandable.
How much food can the largest species of baleen whales consume per day?
About four tons (3,600 kg).
How does the gray whale’s feeding method work?
It uses its tongue as a hydraulic piston to stir up bottom sediments.
