20 Questions
What is a key characteristic of cetaceans?
They have blowholes on the top of their head
Which cetacean is known for its efficient oxygen absorption and storage?
Sperm whales
What is a distinguishing feature of toothed whales compared to baleen whales?
They use echolocation for prey detection
What risk do cetaceans and humans share when diving in deep water?
Nitrogen narcosis
What is the role of fishermen mentioned in the text?
Diving into deep waters to find benthic organisms for profit
Which group of mammals includes sea otters and polar bears?
Carnivora
What is a distinctive feature of dugongs?
Distinct caudal fin
Where are manatees primarily found?
Central Florida
What is the primary diet of polar bears?
Earless seals
Which mammal was hunted for the fur trade, almost leading to its extinction?
Sea otters
What is the primary reason for the gray whales' annual migration from the Arctic to Baja California?
To feed and give birth
What is the status of gray whales' population since the international whaling treaty was signed in 1938?
It has rebounded
When was the International Whaling Commission established?
1948
What are the legal ways to hunt whales according to the text?
Complete objections of the ban, scientific whaling, and Aboriginal sustenance whaling
What is the potential consequence of continued unsustainable whaling?
Certain whale species may face extinction in the future
What do toothed whales use clicking sounds for?
Locating objects and prey
What is the primary prey of baleen whales?
Zooplankton
How do baleen whales trap their prey?
By gulping water containing prey and pushing out the water
What is a characteristic of humpback whales?
Long, slender bodies
How do cetaceans use sound waves to locate and identify fish species?
By emitting sounds from an organ in their heads and using the reflection of sound waves
Study Notes
Marine Mammals - Sonar and Communication
- Cetaceans, such as dolphins and whales, emit sounds from an organ in their heads to locate and identify fish species.
- They use the reflection of sound waves to determine the type of species and location of prey.
- Sperm whales emit clicking sounds to locate objects and prey, such as squid and jellyfish, in the ocean.
- Some whales, like the sperm whale, have a specialized inner ear structure to pick up these sounds.
- The use of loud boats, seismic waves, and high-frequency sounds by humans can disrupt cetaceans' echolocation and communication.
- Toothed whales, known for their intelligence, have complex social relationships and can be trained for various purposes, including assisting humans.
- Baleen whales, including blue, finback, humpback, and gray whales, have fibrous plates to filter zooplankton as their primary prey.
- Baleen whales vocalize to communicate and locate mates or lost pod members.
- They gulp water containing prey, then push out the water, trapping the organisms in their baleen plates for consumption.
- Gray whales are bottom-feeders, while right whales are critically endangered and found in the North Atlantic and Pacific.
- Different types of baleen whales, such as the roqual and the mysticetes, have unique physical and behavioral characteristics.
- Humpback whales, a type of mysticete, are known for their long, slender bodies and are one of the species within the group.
Test your knowledge of marine mammals' sonar and communication abilities with this quiz. Learn about how cetaceans use echolocation to locate prey, the specialized inner ear structures of toothed whales, the communication methods of baleen whales, and the unique characteristics of different whale species.
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