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