Whale Classification and Diet Quiz

What material primarily composes baleen plates in baleen whales?

Which hunting technique involves a group of whales creating a 'net' of bubbles to trap fish?

What is the primary function of baleen in baleen whales?

Which of the following marine animals is LEAST likely to be part of a typical baleen whale's diet?

Killer whales are classified as what type of whale based on their mouth structure?

What is the term for the group hunting behavior exhibited by killer whales when targeting large prey?

Which feeding strategy do toothed whales use to locate prey by emitting sounds and interpreting returning signals?

Which of the following is a primary component of the diet for most toothed whales, excluding killer whales?

Which of the following best describes how baleen whales consume their food?

Crabs, shrimp, and krill share which common classification that makes them a food source for some whales?

Whale Classification and Diet

Whales are classified as toothed or baleen.
Toothed whales have teeth and include killer whales, dolphins, porpoises, belugas, narwhals, beaked whales.
Baleen whales have baleen instead of teeth; examples include humpback whales, right whales, gray whales, rorquals.
Baleen is keratin material forming plates that hang from the whales' upper jaws.
Spaces between plates filter water and catch food.
Food varies depending on the whale's location and position in the food chain.

Toothed Whale Diet

Killer whales (Orcas) are apex predators.
They eat sea lions, walruses, dolphins, porpoises, seals, sharks, seabirds, and penguins.
They often hunt in groups (pods) for larger prey, a process sometimes taking several hours.
Other toothed whales (dolphins, porpoises, belugas, narwhals, beaked whales) mostly eat octopuses, squid, fish, and crustaceans.

Baleen Whale Diet

Baleen whales open their mouths wide to filter water and swallow trapped food.
Baleen whales eat small crabs, octopuses, zooplankton, fish, krill, and certain crustaceans.
Whales can hunt alone or in groups.
Different baleen whale species have diverse diets.
Gray whales feed on ocean bottom organisms (marine worms, invertebrates).
Right whales eat krill, small crustaceans, and zooplankton.
Fin whales eat schooling fish, crustaceans, and squids.
Blue whales mainly eat krill.
Humpback whales consume mackerel, krill, schooling fish, anchovies, and sardines.

Whale Feeding Strategies

Humpback whales use bubble nets to trap fish.
Bubbles form a net-like structure, trapping fish that whales gulp down.
Some whales use echolocation to locate prey.
Whales send out sounds and interpret the returning signals to determine prey's location, size and type.

Test your knowledge on whale classification and their diets! This quiz covers both toothed and baleen whales, highlighting their dietary habits and feeding mechanisms. Perfect for marine biology enthusiasts and students.