Transcript Cetaceans Giants of the Sea! Cetaceans  Mammals  Aquatic  Some of the largest animals in the world.

Cetaceans
Giants of the Sea!
Cetaceans

Mammals
 Aquatic
 Some of the largest
animals in the world
Adapted to Life in the Ocean
Flippers, Fins & Flukes
Streamlined
Common Dolphins
Minke Whale
Blubber
Blowholes
Courtesy: NOAA, Roletto (Gray)
Baleen Whales- Mysticeti
Baleen Whales
Humpback
Minke
Baleen
Filter Feeders
Humpback

Photo: NOAA
Most common large
whale in our area
 Black on dorsal side with
long black and white
flippers
 Arch back before diving &
shows flukes prior to
deep dive
 Length up to 60 feet
STATUS: Endangered, 300700 using US Atlantic
waters. 8,000-10,000 in
N. Atlantic
Humpback Whale
Photo By Graeme Cresswell
Photo By Graeme Cresswell
Photo By Hugh Harrop
Photo By Richard Broughton
Minke & Fin Whales
Only whale w/ a white right
jaw and baleen , and a dark
left jaw and baleen
Right Whale

Most endangered of the
large whales
 Length 20-50 feet
 Black on dorsal side with
yellowish bumps on their
head (callosities)
 In NJ spring and fall
STATUS: Endangered,
currently about 300
known in w. N. Atlantic
waters. Although they
have been protected from
killing since the 1930’s,
they have not “bounced
back”.
Toothed Whales- Odontoceti
Toothed Whales
Orca
Sperm Whale
Tooth
Echolocation
Sperm Whale

Heads are boxy
 Heads are up to 1/3rd
of body length
 Blowhole on front left
side of head
 Skin is dark and
wrinkled
STATUS: Endangered
but fairly common
offshore.
Pilot Whales



Photo: nhm.org


Photo: Corbis
Black with large dorsal
fins
Length 10-20 feet
Usually travel in pods
(schools)
Normally in NJ in the
spring
Longinned and
Shortfinned
Beaked Whales

Four species in NJ
(Blainville’s, Antillean,
True’s and Goose)
 Most beaked whales
have 2 teeth (females
not visible)
 Long obvious beaks,
small flippers, small
dorsal fins set far
back, and may have
gill-like slits on their
throats.
Smaller Cetaceans
Dolphins & Porpoise
Harbor Porpoise
Dolphins
Bottlenose Dolphin

Usually seen in the
summer
 3-10 feet long
 Light gray on ventral
side and darker gray
on the rest of the
body
 Often give birth in our
waters
Risso’s Dolphin
Only NJ dolphin without a beak
Photo by Doug Lefler