: any of an order (Cetacea) of aquatic mostly marine mammals that includes the whales, dolphins, porpoises, and related forms and that have a torpedo-shaped nearly hairless body, paddle-shaped forelimbs but no hind limbs, one or two nares opening externally at the top of the head, and a horizontally flattened tail used …
What are the 3 main types of Cetacea?
Cetacea (Whales, Dolphins, Porpoises)
Cetacea is the order of mammals that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Cetaceans are found throughout the world’s oceans but most species types have specific or common ranges (Table 43-1).
Which animals belong to the Cetacea?
Cetaceans (order Cetacea) are an entirely aquatic order of mammals comprising the whales, the dolphins, and the porpoises. The ancient Greeks recognized that cetaceans breathe air, give birth to live young, produce milk, and have hair—all features of mammals.
What is a cetacean species?
Cetacea is the scientific term for the group of marine mammals that includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. There are over 90 species of cetaceans that inhabit the world’s oceans, lakes and rivers according to the World Cetacean Database (2016).
Why is Dolphin a cetacean?
Cetacean is the word used to describe all 90 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises. Cetacean has its origins in Latin (Cetus) referring to a large sea creature and Greek (Ketos) meaning whale or sea monster. … The other toothed whales include all dolphins, porpoises and beaked whales.
What is the most famous whale?
After being “discovered” by Hollywood and becoming a movie star, Keiko attained celebrity status as the most famous whale in the world.
How do whales breathe?
Whales and dolphins are mammals and breathe air into their lungs, just like we do. They cannot breathe underwater like fish can as they do not have gills. They breathe through nostrils, called a blowhole, located right on top of their heads.
Do whales sleep?
Observations of bottlenose dolphins in aquariums and zoos, and of whales and dolphins in the wild, show two basic methods of sleeping: they either rest quietly in the water, vertically or horizontally, or sleep while swimming slowly next to another animal. … At these times, the mother will also sleep on the move.
Do dolphins have pubic hair?
Unlike most mammals, dolphins do not have hair, except for a few hairs around the tip of their rostrum (beak) which they lose shortly before or after birth. The only exception to this is the Boto river dolphin, which has persistent small hairs on the rostrum.
What are the three families of pinnipeds?
Pinnipeds are separated into three groups: earless seals, eared seals and walruses. Sometimes referred to as earless seals or true seals, marine mammals in the phocid family can be easily identified by looking at their ears and flippers.
Is an Orca a whale?
Orcas have a lot of characteristics in common with whales, but taxonomically, they‘re actually dolphins! … The largest member of the dolphin family, orcas are incredibly powerful, hunting anything from seabirds and squid to large prey like pinniped species (seals and sea lions), and even sharks or other whales.
Is an orca a cetacean?
Orcas are classified in the Delphinidae family of dolphins and porpoises. All delphinids belong to the Cetacean order within the toothed whale (Odontoceti) suborder.
Is an octopus a cetacean?
A cephalopod /ˈsɛfələpɒd/ is any member of the molluscan class Cephalopoda /sɛfəˈlɒpədə/ (Greek plural κεφαλόποδες, kephalópodes; “head-feet”) such as a squid, octopus, cuttlefish, or nautilus. … About 800 living species of cephalopods have been identified.
Are there 90 species of whales?
There are around 90 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises, known collectively as “cetaceans”. From the enormous blue whale to the tiny vaquita and Hector’s dolphin, you will find information and amazing facts about many of these incredible creatures in our species guide.
Is a seal a cetacean?
Marine mammals are classified into four different taxonomic groups: cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises), pinnipeds (seals, sea lions, and walruses), sirenians (manatees and dugongs), and marine fissipeds (polar bears and sea otters).
Which animals live in pods?
pod – A group of whales (or seals or dolphins), or a small flock of birds.
What were whales before they were whales?
Hippos are the closest living relatives of whales, but they are not the ancestors of whales. Both hippos and whales evolved from four-legged, even-toed, hoofed (ungulate) ancestors that lived on land about 50 million years ago. Modern-day ungulates include hippopotamus, giraffe, deer, pig and cow.
What is the nicest whale?
Possibly the world’s friendliest whale, grey whales are found along the coast of North America where they make the 12,400 round trip between Alaska and Mexico each year.
Is Humphrey the whale still alive?
The Marine Mammal Center confirmed a dead whale was found partially submerged under a bridge in the Oakland Estuary and are currently working to figure out how it died. One of the members of the flotilla says Humphrey stayed very close, even eating barnicles off the hull of the boat.
What is the oldest killer whale?
Species | Killer whale (Orcinus orca) |
---|---|
Sex | Female |
Born | c. 1911 – c. 1960s |
Died | c. October–December 2016 (age 65-105) east Pacific Ocean |
Known for | Long life |
Can whales drown themselves?
Whales do not purposely drown themselves. However, if they get caught in a net and are unable to surface, they will drown. Beached whales may face a similar predicament. As tides rise, water may cover and enter the whale’s blowhole, causing it to drown before the water becomes deep enough for it to swim away.
Can whales eat humans?
No, whales do not eat people; they primarily eat small aquatic lifeforms such as fish, squid, and krill, and a few dolphin species are even known to eat marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, walruses, and whales. Still, they are not known for consuming or eating people.
Which animal Cannot breathe in water?
Whales cannot breathe underwater because they are mammals and not fish. This means that their breathing organs are lungs, rather than gills.
Do whales fart?
Whales. Whale farts, like the animals themselves, are epically large, though they’ve only been captured on camera a few times. But researchers who have been caught downwind of a tooting whale report it’s a rather smelly situation.
How do whales poop?
Whales excrete plumes of liquid feces which are flocculent in nature, i.e., consisting of “a loose aggregation of particles, fluffy or woolly in nature”. … The feces may be ejected underwater but comes to the surface where it floats until it disassociates. Flatulence has been recorded in whales.
Do dead whales explode?
A decomposing whale carcass generates gases which build up inside their stomach and large internal organs. But, this part of the body can handle significant amounts of pressure, so it is relatively uncommon for them to explode on their own. …
In fact, hippopotamus are actually whales’ closest “cousins”, and they’re much more closely related than you might guess. Based on their fossil record, scientists have determined that whales are related to land dwelling mammals that lived on Earth between 52 – 47 million years ago.
Are manatees a porpoise?
Dolphins are part of the taxonomic Order Cetacea, which includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. It includes about 80 species. … Manatees, on the other hand, are part of the much smaller Order Sirenia, with just four living species: West Indian Manatee, African Manatee, Amazonian Manatee and Dugong.
The short answer is: Yes, dolphins are a type of whale. … Whales can be divided into two groups, these are called baleen whales (Mysticeti) and toothed whales (Odontoceti). Most whales belong to the group of toothed whales such as all dolphins and porpoises.
Why are seals so fat?
Seals have a layer of subcutaneous fat known as blubber that is particularly thick in phocids and walruses. Blubber serves both to keep the animals warm and to provide energy and nourishment when they are fasting. It can constitute as much as 50% of a pinniped’s body weight.
What are predators to seals?
Whales, sharks, and even other seals are the primary non-human predators of seals.
What do pinnipeds have in common?
Pinnipeds have four webbed flippers used to propel their spindle-shaped bodies. Their sensory organs are adapted to function in both air and water: large eyes and well-developed whiskers allow feeding in dimly lit water; tail and external ears are small, limiting drag.
What kills killer whales?
Killer whales are apex predators, which means they have no natural predators. They hunt in packs, much like wolves, which are also at the top of their food chain.
Are orcas friendly?
They’re honestly one of the friendliest animals ever. While attacks on humans have occurred in the wild, I believe there is only one case of a fatality from wild Orcas.
Are orcas aggressive?
Captive orcas also display aggression towards each other, as well as self-destructive behavior. Rake marks and injuries inflicted are often observed on captive orcas, while it is also well-documented that captive marine mammals engage in harmful stereotypic behaviors such as gnawing on tank walls or gates.
Are orcas smart?
Orcas are highly intelligent, social mammals that have long been a part of marine park entertainment, performing shows for audiences. However, it’s become increasingly clear that orcas do not thrive in captivity. They have evolved to swim up to 40 miles a day, foraging for food and exercising.
Is it safe to swim with wild orcas?
Is it safe to swim or dive with Orcas? Yes, however, you have to be very cautious, because they are still wild animals and need attention all the time. Orcas owe their name “killer whale” to the early whalers Because they apparently attacked and killed all other animals, even the largest whales.
Is a porpoise a whale?
While dolphins and porpoises are in the same order and suborder as whales, they generally aren’t given a name that includes the word whale.