Midterm

Question 1

Explain why Mysticeti have 2 blowholes and Odontoceti only have 1

Question 2

Describe the differences in echolocation between Mysticeti & Odontoceti

Question 3

Which rorqual is the most different from the rest?

Question 4

Which family shows in-between characteristics of 2 others?

Question 5

Largest odontocete with the greatest sexual dimorphism

Question 6

Which family has flipper ‘pockets’?

Answer 6

Ziphiidae

Question 7

Which beaked whale species is unlike the others and does NOT have reduced teeth?

Question 8

What is the relationship between throat grooves and baleen?

Question 9

Which delphinidae species has no dorsal fin?

Question 10

Which is the only dolphin with differentiated teeth?

Question 11

Why do some families of pinnipeds have ear pinnae while others do not?

Question 12

Explain some differences between a right whale vs the pygmy right whale

Question 13

Which species has a symmetrical skull?

Answer 13

Franciscana - questionable echolocation abilities

Question 14

Cetaceans have _____ to aid with flexibility?

Answer 14

Sternal ribs are attached to vertebral ribs

Question 15

Which species has an unfused vertebrae?

Answer 15

Amazon River Dolphin

Question 16

How many vertebrae does sousa have?

Answer 16

51

Question 17

Characters that aid in sounds transmission

Answer 17

Melon (odontoceti) - bulbous heads -acoustic fat
Toothed - Hollow rostrums (open mesorostrum canals) - minus sperm whales
**since most baleen are filter feeders, they don’t need to echolocate the same way toothed whales do
- Hollow mandibles - sound travels down lower jaw to ear bones

Question 18

What unique trait does the genus mesoplodon have?

Answer 18

rostrum with a dense mammalian bone/tusk (Blainville’s beaked whale)
- secondary sexual trait?
- used for sound?

Question 19

Diphyodont vs Monophyodont

Answer 19

Diphyodont - Nursing teeth (pinnipedia)
Monophyodont - 1 set of teeth (cetacea)