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101-518: In certain areas in the Galápagos Marine Reserve, it is possible for visitors to dive or snorkel, and many guests have come into contact with diverse aquatic species which live underwater: Whales , whale sharks , hammerhead sharks , rays, manta rays , swordfish and sea turtles , etc. Other habitats within the GMR are the rocky seabed, vertical rock faces, sandy beaches, mangrove swamps and, to

202-415: A pinna and hair . Whales have an elongated head, especially baleen whales , due to the wide overhanging jaw. Bowhead whale plates can be 9 metres (30 ft) long. Their nostril(s) make up the blowhole , with one in toothed whales and two in baleen whales. The nostrils are located on top of the head above the eyes so that the rest of the body can remain submerged while surfacing for air. The back of

303-408: A tapetum lucidum ; these adaptations allow for large amounts of light to pass through the eye and, therefore, a very clear image of the surrounding area. They also have glands on the eyelids and outer corneal layer that act as protection for the cornea. The olfactory lobes are absent in toothed whales, suggesting that they have no sense of smell. Some whales, such as the bowhead whale , possess

404-485: A vomeronasal organ , which does mean that they can "sniff out" krill. Whales are not thought to have a good sense of taste, as their taste buds are atrophied or missing altogether. However, some toothed whales have preferences between different kinds of fish, indicating some sort of attachment to taste. The presence of the Jacobson's organ indicates that whales can smell food once inside their mouth, which might be similar to

505-733: A different reason for it, for example, the killer whale was named "Ballena asesina" 'killer whale' by Spanish sailors. The term "Great Whales" covers those currently regulated by the International Whaling Commission : the Odontoceti family Physeteridae (sperm whales); and the Mysticeti families Balaenidae (right and bowhead whales), Eschrichtiidae (grey whales), and some of the Balaenopteridae (Minke, Bryde's, Sei, Blue and Fin; not Eden's and Omura's whales). The whales are part of

606-601: A factor in the ability to produce sounds used in echolocation. Mysticeti, who don't have the ability to echolocate, possess general symmetry of the skull and facial region, while Odontoceti display a nasofacial asymmetry that is linked to their echolocating abilities. Differences in the level of asymmetry also seem to correlate with differences in the types of sounds produced. Mysticeti have exceptionally thin, wide basilar membranes in their cochleae without stiffening agents, making their ears adapted for processing low to infrasonic frequencies. The initial karyotype includes

707-570: A form of tourism around the world. The word "whale" comes from the Old English hwæl , from Proto-Germanic *hwalaz , from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kwal-o- , meaning "large sea fish". The Proto-Germanic *hwalaz is also the source of Old Saxon hwal , Old Norse hvalr , hvalfiskr , Swedish val , Middle Dutch wal , walvisc , Dutch walvis , Old High German wal , and German Wal . Other archaic English forms include wal, wale, whal, whalle, whaille, wheal , etc. The term "whale"

808-439: A large melon and multiple, asymmetric air bags. River dolphins , unlike most other cetaceans, can turn their head 90°. Most other cetaceans have fused neck vertebrae and are unable to turn their head at all. The baleen of baleen whales consists of long, fibrous strands of keratin. Located in place of the teeth, it has the appearance of a huge fringe and is used to sieve the water for plankton and krill. Sperm whales have

909-580: A latitudinal basis to move between seasonal habitats. For example, the gray whale migrates 10,000 miles (16,000 km) round trip. The journey begins at winter birthing grounds in warm lagoons along Baja California, and traverses 5,000–7,000 miles (8,000–11,300 km) of coastline to summer feeding grounds in the Bering, Chuckchi and Beaufort seas off the coast of Alaska. Conscious breathing cetaceans sleep but cannot afford to be unconscious for long, because they may drown. While knowledge of sleep in wild cetaceans

1010-648: A lesser extent, coral reefs . A popular spot is Tortuga Bay on the Island of Santa Cruz where there is a separate mangrove where there are always white tip reef sharks Coastal lakes, moist soil and areas where freshwater and seawater mix contain unique species still to be studied. Cold, hot and warm marine currents come together here, generating a wide diversity of animal life: from small coloured fish to large mammals: marine iguanas , Galapagos land iguanas , galapagos crabs , Galápagos sea lion , Sharks , Blue footed boobie , swallow-tailed gulls , ducks , frigatebirds and

1111-537: A set of chromosomes from 2n = 44. They have four pairs of telocentric chromosomes (whose centromeres sit at one of the telomeres ), two to four pairs of subtelocentric and one or two large pairs of submetacentric chromosomes. The remaining chromosomes are metacentric—the centromere is approximately in the middle—and are rather small. All cetaceans have chromosomes 2n = 44, except the sperm whales and pygmy sperm whales , which have 2n = 42. Cetaceans are found in many aquatic habitats. While many marine species, such as

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1212-420: A small bulge sitting on top of its skull, whereas a sperm whale's head is filled up mainly with the melon. The whale eye is relatively small for its size, yet they do retain a good degree of eyesight. As well as this, the eyes of a whale are placed on the sides of its head, so their vision consists of two fields, rather than a binocular view like humans have. When belugas surface, their lens and cornea correct

1313-725: A specific body of water. The southern right whale dolphin and the hourglass dolphin live only in the Southern Ocean . The narwhal and the beluga live only in the Arctic Ocean. Sowerby's beaked whale and the Clymene dolphin exist only in the Atlantic and the Pacific white-sided dolphin and the northern straight dolphin live only in the North Pacific. Cosmopolitan species may be found in

1414-456: A strong desire on behalf of the whales to communicate with humans, as whales have a very different vocal mechanism, so imitating human speech likely takes considerable effort. Whales emit two distinct kinds of acoustic signals, which are called whistles and clicks: Clicks are quick broadband burst pulses, used for sonar , although some lower-frequency broadband vocalizations may serve a non-echolocative purpose such as communication; for example,

1515-426: A terrestrial mammal breathing out on a cold day, a small cloud of 'steam' appears. This is called the 'spout' and varies across species in shape, angle and height. Species can be identified at a distance using this characteristic. The structure of the respiratory and circulatory systems is of particular importance for the life of marine mammals . The oxygen balance is effective. Each breath can replace up to 90% of

1616-429: A two- to three-chambered stomach that is similar in structure to those of terrestrial carnivores. Mysticetes contain a proventriculus as an extension of the oesophagus ; this contains stones that grind up food. They also have fundic and pyloric chambers. Whales have two flippers on the front, and a tail fin. These flippers contain four digits. Although whales do not possess fully developed hind limbs, some, such as

1717-496: A widely distributed and diverse group of fully aquatic placental marine mammals . As an informal and colloquial grouping, they correspond to large members of the infraorder Cetacea , i.e. all cetaceans apart from dolphins and porpoises . Dolphins and porpoises may be considered whales from a formal, cladistic perspective. Whales, dolphins and porpoises belong to the order Cetartiodactyla , which consists of even-toed ungulates . Their closest non-cetacean living relatives are

1818-654: Is bicornuate . Cetacean eyes are set on the sides rather than the front of the head. This means only species with pointed 'beaks' (such as dolphins) have good binocular vision forward and downward. Tear glands secrete greasy tears, which protect the eyes from the salt in the water. The lens is almost spherical, which is most efficient at focusing the minimal light that reaches deep water. Odontocetes have little to no ability to taste or smell, while mysticetes are believed to have some ability to smell because of their reduced, but functional olfactory system . Cetaceans are known to possess excellent hearing. At least one species,

1919-447: Is an infraorder of aquatic mammals belonging to the order Artiodactyla that includes whales , dolphins and porpoises . Key characteristics are their fully aquatic lifestyle, streamlined body shape, often large size and exclusively carnivorous diet. They propel themselves through the water with powerful up-and-down movement of their tail which ends in a paddle-like fluke, using their flipper-shaped forelimbs to maneuver. While

2020-515: Is characterized by the presence of baleen, a sieve-like structure in the upper jaw made of keratin , which it uses to filter plankton , among others, from the water. Odontocetes (toothed whales) are characterized by bearing sharp teeth for hunting, as opposed to their counterparts' baleen. Cetaceans and artiodactyls now are classified under the order Cetartiodactyla , often still referred to as Artiodactyla, which includes both whales and hippopotamuses . The hippopotamus and pygmy hippopotamus are

2121-515: Is considered to be functionally extinct due to human activity. The two parvorders, baleen whales (Mysticeti) and toothed whales (Odontoceti), are thought to have diverged around thirty-four million years ago. Baleen whales have bristles made of keratin instead of teeth . The bristles filter krill and other small invertebrates from seawater. Grey whales feed on bottom-dwelling mollusks. Rorqual family (balaenopterids) use throat pleats to expand their mouths to take in food and sieve out

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2222-437: Is helpful for a 100-ton whale), protection to some extent as predators would have a hard time getting through a thick layer of fat, and energy for fasting when migrating to the equator; the primary usage for blubber is insulation from the harsh climate. It can constitute as much as 50% of a whale's body weight. Calves are born with only a thin layer of blubber, but some species compensate for this with thick lanugos. Whales have

2323-406: Is home to elongated spindle neurons that, prior to 2007, were known only in hominids. In humans, these cells are involved in social conduct, emotions, judgement, and theory of mind. Whale spindle neurons are found in areas of the brain that are homologous to where they are found in humans, suggesting that they perform a similar function. Brain size was previously considered a major indicator of

2424-430: Is home to elongated spindle neurons that, prior to 2019, were known only in hominids . In humans, these cells are thought to be involved in social conduct, emotions, judgment and theory of mind. Cetacean spindle neurons are found in areas of the brain homologous to where they are found in humans, suggesting they perform a similar function. The cetacean skeleton is largely made up of cortical bone , which stabilizes

2525-442: Is in their feeding adaptations and subsequent behaviour. Balaenopterids are the rorquals. These animals, along with the cetotheriids, rely on their throat pleats to gulp large amounts of water while feeding. The throat pleats extend from the mouth to the navel and allow the mouth to expand to a large volume for more efficient capture of the small animals they feed on. Balaenopterids consist of two genera and eight species. Balaenids are

2626-433: Is limited, toothed cetaceans in captivity have been recorded to exhibit unihemispheric slow-wave sleep (USWS), which means they sleep with one side of their brain at a time, so that they may swim, breathe consciously and avoid both predators and social contact during their period of rest. A 2008 study found that sperm whales sleep in vertical postures just under the surface in passive shallow 'drift-dives', generally during

2727-424: Is so well-adapted for both air and water that some blind specimens can survive. Some species, such as sperm whales, are well adapted for diving to great depths. Several species of toothed whales show sexual dimorphism , in which the males differ from the females, usually for purposes of sexual display or aggression. Cetacean bodies are generally similar to those of fish, which can be attributed to their lifestyle and

2828-438: Is sometimes used interchangeably with dolphins and porpoises , acting as a synonym for Cetacea . Six species of dolphins have the word "whale" in their name, collectively known as blackfish: the orca , or killer whale, the melon-headed whale , the pygmy killer whale , the false killer whale , and the two species of pilot whales , all of which are classified under the family Delphinidae (oceanic dolphins). Each species has

2929-759: Is swallowed whole. Teeth are shaped like cones (dolphins and sperm whales), spades ( porpoises ), pegs ( belugas ), tusks ( narwhals ) or variable (beaked whale males). Female beaked whales' teeth are hidden in the gums and are not visible, and most male beaked whales have only two short tusks. Narwhals have vestigial teeth other than their tusk, which is present on males and 15% of females and has millions of nerves to sense water temperature, pressure and salinity. A few toothed whales, such as some orcas , feed on mammals, such as pinnipeds and other whales. Toothed whales have well-developed senses – their eyesight and hearing are adapted for both air and water, and they have advanced sonar capabilities using their melon . Their hearing

3030-442: Is taken in and expelled. They are warm-blooded , and have a layer of fat, or blubber , under the skin. With streamlined fusiform bodies and two limbs that are modified into flippers, whales can travel at speeds of up to 20 knots , though they are not as flexible or agile as seals . Whales produce a great variety of vocalizations, notably the extended songs of the humpback whale . Although whales are widespread, most species prefer

3131-401: Is then expelled through the baleen, leaving their prey trapped inside. This is an efficient method of hunting, in which the whale has no major competitors. Odontocetes are known as toothed whales; they have teeth and only one blowhole. They rely on their well-developed sonar to find their way in the water. Toothed whales send out ultrasonic clicks using the melon . Sound waves travel through

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3232-412: Is vital for deep diving, since beyond a depth around 100 m (330 ft), the lung tissue is almost completely compressed by the water pressure. The stomach consists of three chambers. The first region is formed by a loose gland and a muscular forestomach (missing in beaked whales); this is followed by the main stomach and the pylorus . Both are equipped with glands to help digestion. A bowel adjoins

3333-562: The Indohyus , an extinct chevrotain -like ungulate, from which they split approximately 48 million years ago. Primitive cetaceans, or archaeocetes , first took to the sea approximately 49 million years ago and became fully aquatic 5–10 million years later. What defines an archaeocete is the presence of anatomical features exclusive to cetaceans, alongside other primitive features not found in modern cetaceans, such as visible legs or asymmetrical teeth. Their features became adapted for living in

3434-455: The Amazon river dolphin . The collarbone is completely absent. Cetaceans have a cartilaginous fluke at the end of their tails that is used for propulsion. The fluke is set horizontally on the body and used with vertical movements, unlike fish and ichthyosaurs, which have vertical tails which move horizontally. Cetaceans have powerful hearts. Blood oxygen is distributed effectively throughout

3535-468: The Monodontidae (belugas and narwhals), Physeteridae (the sperm whale ), Kogiidae (the dwarf and pygmy sperm whale), and Ziphiidae (the beaked whales), as well as the six families of dolphins and porpoises which are not considered whales in the informal sense. Whales are fully aquatic, open-ocean animals: they can feed, mate, give birth, suckle and raise their young at sea. Whales range in size from

3636-532: The beaked whale family, several species of the porpoise family, orcas, pilot whales , eastern spinner dolphins and northern right whale dolphins show this characteristic. Males in these species developed external features absent in females that are advantageous in combat or display. For example, male sperm whales are up to 63% percent larger than females, and many beaked whales possess tusks used in competition among males. Hind legs are not present in cetaceans, nor are any other external body attachments such as

3737-541: The beluga and the narwhal . They both reside in the frigid arctic and both have large amounts of blubber. Belugas, being white, hunt in large pods near the surface and around pack ice, their coloration acting as camouflage. Narwhals, being black, hunt in large pods in the aphotic zone, but their underbelly still remains white to remain camouflaged when something is looking directly up or down at them. They have no dorsal fin to prevent collision with pack ice. Physeterids and Kogiids consist of sperm whales . Sperm whales consist

3838-433: The blowhole , forming an upward, steamy spout, followed by inhaling fresh air into the lungs; a humpback whale's lungs can hold about 5,000 litres (1,300 US gal) of air. Spout shapes differ among species, which facilitates identification. All whales have a thick layer of blubber . In species that live near the poles, the blubber can be as thick as 11 inches (28 cm). This blubber can help with buoyancy (which

3939-654: The blue whale , the humpback whale and the orca , have a distribution area that includes nearly the entire ocean, some species occur only locally or in broken populations. These include the vaquita , which inhabits a small part of the Gulf of California and Hector's dolphin , which lives in some coastal waters in New Zealand. Most river dolphin species live exclusively in fresh water. Many species inhabit specific latitudes, often in tropical or subtropical waters, such as Bryde's whale or Risso's dolphin . Others are found only in

4040-651: The galápagos tortoise . The most unique species to the Galápagos is the Marine Iguana , due to its amphibious nature. It is the only known reptilian lizard that can forage in water and on land. The Galápagos Marine Reserve faces a number of environmental threats. The most pressing threats to the GMR come from over-fishing and illegal fishing . Some animals are always illegal to hunt in the Galápagos. The legal local sea cucumber and lobster fisheries are heavily depleted and may be close to collapse. This poses dire consequences for

4141-488: The hippopotamuses , from which they and other cetaceans diverged about 54 million years ago. The two parvorders of whales, baleen whales (Mysticeti) and toothed whales (Odontoceti), are thought to have had their last common ancestor around 34 million years ago. Mysticetes include four extant (living) families : Balaenopteridae (the rorquals), Balaenidae (right whales), Cetotheriidae (the pygmy right whale), and Eschrichtiidae (the grey whale). Odontocetes include

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4242-405: The marine environment . Major anatomical changes included their hearing set-up that channeled vibrations from the jaw to the earbone ( Ambulocetus 49 mya ), a streamlined body and the growth of flukes on the tail ( Protocetus 43 mya), the migration of the nostrils toward the top of the cranium ( blowholes ), and the modification of the forelimbs into flippers ( Basilosaurus 35 mya), and

4343-404: The melon as a head buckle. This is filled with air sacs and fat that aid in buoyancy and biosonar . The sperm whale has a particularly pronounced melon; this is called the spermaceti organ and contains the eponymous spermaceti , hence the name "sperm whale". Even the long tusk of the narwhal is a vice-formed tooth. In many toothed whales, the depression in their skull is due to the formation of

4444-417: The photic zone . Ziphiids consist of 22 species of beaked whale . These vary from size, to coloration, to distribution, but they all share a similar hunting style. They use a suction technique, aided by a pair of grooves on the underside of their head, not unlike the throat pleats on the rorquals , to feed. As a formal clade (a group which does not exclude any descendant taxon ), odontocetes also contains

4545-424: The porpoises (Phocoenidae) and four or five living families of dolphins: oceanic dolphins ( Delphinidae ), South Asian river dolphins ( Platanistidae ), the possibly extinct Yangtze River dolphin ( Lipotidae ), South American river dolphins ( Iniidae ), and La Plata dolphin (Pontoporiidae). Whales are descendants of land-dwelling mammals of the artiodactyl order (even-toed ungulates). They are related to

4646-404: The sperm whale , and the poorly understood beaked whales ) and the filter feeding Mysticeti or baleen whales (which includes species like the blue whale , the humpback whale and the bowhead whale ). Despite their highly modified bodies and carnivorous lifestyle, genetic and fossil evidence places cetaceans as nested within even-toed ungulates , most closely related to hippopotamus within

4747-433: The tucuxi or Guiana dolphin, is able to use electroreception to sense prey. The external ear has lost the pinna (visible ear), but still retains a narrow ear canal . The three small bones or ossicles that transmit sound within each ear are dense and compact , and differently shaped from those of land mammals. The semicircular canals are much smaller relative to body size than in other mammals. A bony structure of

4848-484: The 2.6 metres (8.5 ft) and 135 kilograms (298 lb) dwarf sperm whale to the 29.9 metres (98 ft) and 190 tonnes (210 short tons) blue whale , which is the largest known animal that has ever lived. The sperm whale is the largest toothed predator on Earth. Several whale species exhibit sexual dimorphism , in that the females are larger than males. Baleen whales have no teeth; instead, they have plates of baleen, fringe-like structures that enable them to expel

4949-420: The 2.6-metre (8.5 ft) and 135-kilogram (298 lb) dwarf sperm whale to the 34-metre (112 ft) and 190-metric-ton (210-short-ton) blue whale. Overall, they tend to dwarf other cetartiodactyls; the blue whale is the largest creature on Earth. Several species have female-biased sexual dimorphism, with the females being larger than the males. One exception is with the sperm whale, which has males larger than

5050-550: The Inuit and the coastal peoples of Vietnam and Ghana, who sometimes hold whale funerals. Whales occasionally feature in literature and film. A famous example is the great white whale in Herman Melville 's novel Moby-Dick . Small whales, such as belugas , are sometimes kept in captivity and trained to perform tricks, but breeding success has been poor and the animals often die within a few months of capture. Whale watching has become

5151-648: The Islands. Many international conservation and science organizations are working to protect the Galápagos Marine Reserve. Among them are the Charles Darwin Foundation and WildAid , which is working to improve the capacity of the Parque Nacional de Galápagos staff to protect the reserve from overfishing and other threats. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society also maintains an office in Puerto Ayora , on

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5252-665: The Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. However, northern and southern populations become genetically separated over time. In some species, this separation leads eventually to a divergence of the species, such as produced the southern right whale , North Pacific right whale and North Atlantic right whale . Migratory species' reproductive sites often lie in the tropics and their feeding grounds in polar regions. Thirty-two species are found in European waters, including twenty-five toothed and seven baleen species. Many species of whales migrate on

5353-402: The amount of brain mass available for cognitive tasks. Allometric analysis of the relationship between mammalian brain mass (weight) and body mass for different species of mammals shows that larger species generally have larger brains. However, this increase is not fully proportional. Typically the brain mass only increases in proportion to somewhere between the two-thirds power (or the square of

5454-522: The animal in the water. For this reason, the usual terrestrial compact bones, which are finely woven cancellous bone , are replaced with lighter and more elastic material. In many places, bone elements are replaced by cartilage and even fat, thereby improving their hydrostatic qualities. The ear and the muzzle contain a bone shape that is exclusive to cetaceans with a high density, resembling porcelain . This conducts sound better than other bones, thus aiding biosonar . The number of vertebrae that make up

5555-447: The baleen whales (Mysticetes) and the toothed whales (Odontocetes). Whales have torpedo-shaped bodies with non-flexible necks, limbs modified into flippers, non-existent external ear flaps, a large tail fin, and flat heads (with the exception of monodontids and ziphiids ). Whale skulls have small eye orbits, long snouts (with the exception of monodontids and ziphiids) and eyes placed on the sides of its head. Whales range in size from

5656-439: The body wall. The stable lumbar and tail include the other vertebrae. Below the caudal vertebrae is the chevron bone . The front limbs are paddle-shaped with shortened arms and elongated finger bones, to support movement. They are connected by cartilage. The second and third fingers display a proliferation of the finger members, a so-called hyperphalangy. The shoulder joint is the only functional joint in all cetaceans except for

5757-416: The body. They are warm-blooded, i.e., they hold a nearly constant body temperature. Cetaceans have lungs, meaning they breathe air. An individual can last without a breath from a few minutes to over two hours depending on the species. Cetacea are deliberate breathers who must be awake to inhale and exhale. When stale air, warmed from the lungs, is exhaled, it condenses as it meets colder external air. As with

5858-403: The brain folds around the insula and expands more laterally than in terrestrial mammals. As a result, the cetacean prefrontal cortex (compared to that in humans) rather than frontal is laterally positioned. Brain size was previously considered a major indicator of intelligence . Since most of the brain is used for maintaining bodily functions, greater ratios of brain to body mass may increase

5959-469: The clade Whippomorpha . Cetaceans have been extensively hunted for their meat, blubber and oil by commercial operations. Although the International Whaling Commission has agreed on putting a halt to commercial whaling, whale hunting is still going on, either under IWC quotas to assist the subsistence of Arctic native people or in the name of scientific research, although a large spectrum of non-lethal methods are now available to study marine mammals in

6060-529: The closest living relatives of cetaceans are the hippopotamuses ; these share a semi-aquatic ancestor that branched off from other artiodactyls some 60 mya. Around 40 mya, a common ancestor between the two branched off into cetacea and anthracotheres ; nearly all anthracotheres became extinct at the end of the Pleistocene 2.5 mya, eventually leaving only one surviving lineage – the hippopotamus. Whales split into two separate parvorders around 34 mya –

6161-690: The colder waters of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and migrate to the equator to give birth. Species such as humpbacks and blue whales are capable of travelling thousands of miles without feeding. Males typically mate with multiple females every year, but females only mate every two to three years. Calves are typically born in the spring and summer; females bear all the responsibility for raising them. Mothers in some species fast and nurse their young for one to two years. Once relentlessly hunted for their products, whales are now protected by international law. The North Atlantic right whales nearly became extinct in

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6262-404: The concentration of myoglobin than haemoglobin. Before going on long dives, many whales exhibit a behaviour known as sounding; they stay close to the surface for a series of short, shallow dives while building their oxygen reserves, and then make a sounding dive. The whale ear has specific adaptations to the marine environment. In humans, the middle ear works as an impedance equalizer between

6363-542: The cube root) and the three-quarters power (or the cube of the fourth root) of the body mass. m brain ∝ ( m body ) where k is between two-thirds and three-quarters. Thus if Species B is twice the size of Species A, its brain size will typically be somewhere between 60% and 70% higher. Comparison of a particular animal's brain size with the expected brain size based on such an analysis provides an encephalization quotient that can be used as an indication of animal intelligence. The neocortex of many cetaceans

6464-553: The females. Odontocetes, such as the sperm whale, possess teeth with cementum cells overlying dentine cells. Unlike human teeth, which are composed mostly of enamel on the portion of the tooth outside of the gum, whale teeth have cementum outside the gum. Only in larger whales, where the cementum is worn away on the tip of the tooth, does enamel show. Mysticetes have large whalebone , as opposed to teeth, made of keratin. Mysticetes have two blowholes, whereas Odontocetes contain only one. Breathing involves expelling stale air from

6565-530: The fin are for stabilization and steering in the water. The male genitals and the mammary glands of females are sunken into the body. The male genitals are attached to a vestigial pelvis . The body is wrapped in a thick layer of fat, known as blubber . This provides thermal insulation and gives cetaceans their smooth, streamlined body shape. In larger species, it can reach a thickness up to one-half meter (1.6 feet). Sexual dimorphism evolved in many toothed whales. Sperm whales, narwhals , many members of

6666-403: The group's members. For example, the blue whale reaches a maximum confirmed length of 29.9 meters (98 feet) and a weight of 173 tonnes (190 short tons), making it the largest animal ever known to have existed. There are approximately 89 living species split into two parvorders : Odontoceti or toothed whales (containing porpoises , dolphins , other predatory whales like the beluga and

6767-405: The habitat conditions. Their body is well-adapted to their habitat, although they share essential characteristics with other higher mammals ( Eutheria ). They have a streamlined shape, and their forelimbs are flippers . Almost all have a dorsal fin on their backs, but this can take on many forms, depending on the species. A few species, such as the beluga whale , lack them. Both the flipper and

6868-524: The huge mouthfuls of water they take in while retaining the krill and plankton they feed on. Because their heads are enormous—making up as much as 40% of their total body mass—and they have throat pleats that enable them to expand their mouths, they are able to take huge quantities of water into their mouth at a time. Baleen whales also have a well-developed sense of smell. Toothed whales, in contrast, have conical teeth adapted to catching fish or squid . They also have such keen hearing—whether above or below

6969-567: The intelligence of an animal. Since most of the brain is used for maintaining bodily functions, greater ratios of brain-to-body mass may increase the amount of brain mass available for more complex cognitive tasks. Allometric analysis indicates that mammalian brain size scales at approximately the ⅔ or ¾ exponent of the body mass. Comparison of a particular animal's brain size with the expected brain size based on such allometric analysis provides an encephalisation quotient that can be used as another indication of animal intelligence. Sperm whales have

7070-535: The island of Santa Cruz. In November 2021, President Guillermo Lasso announced the expansion of the reserve by 50%, adding 23,000 sq mi (60,000 km) to protect submarine mountains northeast of the islands as the Hermandad Marine Reserve . It will connect with the protected area around Cocos Island . 0°03′13″S 90°46′09″W  /  0.05361°S 90.76917°W  / -0.05361; -90.76917 Whale Whales are

7171-946: The largely terrestrial mammalian clade Laurasiatheria . Whales do not form a clade or order ; the infraorder Cetacea includes dolphins and porpoises , which are not considered whales in the informal sense. The phylogenetic tree shows the relationships of whales and other mammals, with whale groups marked in green. ( carnivorans and allies) [REDACTED] ( horses , rhinos , tapirs ) [REDACTED] ( camels, llamas ) [REDACTED] ( pigs, hogs, peccaries ) [REDACTED] ( cattle , sheep , antelopes ) [REDACTED]  ( hippos ) [REDACTED] ( † Ambulocetus , † Protocetus , † Basilosaurus ) ( right whales , grey whales , rorquals ) ( dolphins , porpoises , beluga whales , narwhals ) ( river dolphins ) ( sperm whales ) ( beaked whales ) Cetaceans are divided into two parvorders. The larger parvorder, Mysticeti (baleen whales),

7272-399: The largest and smallest odontocetes, and spend a large portion of their life hunting squid. P. macrocephalus spends most of its life in search of squid in the depths; these animals do not require any degree of light at all, in fact, blind sperm whales have been caught in perfect health. The behaviour of Kogiids remains largely unknown, but, due to their small lungs, they are thought to hunt in

7373-594: The largest brain mass of any animal on Earth, averaging 8,000 cubic centimetres (490 in ) and 7.8 kilograms (17 lb) in mature males, in comparison to the average human brain which averages 1,450 cubic centimetres (88 in ) in mature males. The brain-to-body mass ratio in some odontocetes, such as belugas and narwhals, is second only to humans. Cetacea ( see text for families) Cetacea ( / s ɪ ˈ t eɪ ʃ ə / ; from Latin cetus  ' whale ', from Ancient Greek κῆτος ( kêtos )  ' huge fish , sea monster ')

7474-434: The largest brain mass of any animal on Earth, averaging 8,000 cm (490 in ) and 7.8 kg (17 lb) in mature males. The brain to body mass ratio in some odontocetes, such as belugas and narwhals, is second only to humans. In some whales, however, it is less than half that of humans: 0.9% versus 2.1%. In cetaceans, evolution in the water has caused changes to the head that have modified brain shape such that

7575-422: The majority of cetaceans live in marine environments, a small number reside solely in brackish water or fresh water . Having a cosmopolitan distribution , they can be found in some rivers and all of Earth's oceans, and many species inhabit vast ranges where they migrate with the changing of the seasons. Cetaceans are famous for their high intelligence , complex social behaviour, and the enormous size of some of

7676-410: The middle and inner ear, the auditory bulla , is composed of two compact and dense bones (the periotic and tympanic). It is housed in a cavity in the middle ear; in the Odontoceti (apart from in the physeterids , this cavity is filled with dense foam and completely surrounds the bulla, which is connected to the skull only by ligaments. This may isolate the ear from sounds transmitted through the bones of

7777-517: The nearsightedness that results from the refraction of light; they contain both rod and cone cells, meaning they can see in both dim and bright light, but they have far more rod cells than they do cone cells. Whales do, however, lack short wavelength sensitive visual pigments in their cone cells indicating a more limited capacity for colour vision than most mammals. Most whales have slightly flattened eyeballs, enlarged pupils (which shrink as they surface to prevent damage), slightly flattened corneas and

7878-440: The neck vertebrae, while increasing stability when swimming at high speeds, decreases flexibility; whales are unable to turn their heads. When swimming, whales rely on their tail fin to propel them through the water. Flipper movement is continuous. Whales swim by moving their tail fin and lower body up and down, propelling themselves through vertical movement, while their flippers are mainly used for steering. Some species log out of

7979-417: The outside air's low impedance and the cochlear fluid's high impedance. In whales, and other marine mammals, there is no great difference between the outer and inner environments. Instead of sound passing through the outer ear to the middle ear, whales receive sound through the throat, from which it passes through a low-impedance fat-filled cavity to the inner ear. The whale ear is acoustically isolated from

8080-449: The oversubscribed fishing sector in Galápagos, likely causing local fishermen to turn increasingly to illegal practices, such as shark finning , overfishing of tuna, and illegal export of sea cucumbers. Non-native species, such as cats and dogs, have also begun to pose a major threat to the fragile ecosystem found in the GMR. Pollution and development pose an additional threat to both terrestrial and marine wildlife. The concurrent growth of

8181-440: The pulsed calls of belugas. Pulses in a click train are emitted at intervals of ≈35–50 milliseconds , and in general these inter-click intervals are slightly greater than the round-trip time of sound to the target. Whistles are narrow-band frequency modulated (FM) signals, used for communicative purposes, such as contact calls. Whales are known to teach, learn, cooperate, scheme, and grieve. The neocortex of many species of whale

8282-464: The right whales. These animals have very large heads, which can make up as much as 40% of their body mass, and much of the head is the mouth. This allows them to take in large amounts of water into their mouths, letting them feed more effectively. Eschrichtiids have one living member: the grey whale. They are bottom feeders, mainly eating crustaceans and benthic invertebrates. They feed by turning on their sides and taking in water mixed with sediment, which

8383-549: The sensation of taste. Whale vocalization is likely to serve several purposes. Some species, such as the humpback whale, communicate using melodic sounds, known as whale song . These sounds may be extremely loud, depending on the species. Humpback whales only have been heard making clicks, while toothed whales use sonar that may generate up to 20,000 watts of sound (+73  dBm or +43  dBw ) and be heard for many miles. Captive whales have occasionally been known to mimic human speech. Scientists have suggested this indicates

8484-515: The shrinking and eventual disappearance of the hind limbs (the first odontocetes and mysticetes 34 mya). Whale morphology shows several examples of convergent evolution , the most obvious being the streamlined fish-like body shape. Other examples include the use of echolocation for hunting in low light conditions — which is the same hearing adaptation used by bats  — and, in the rorqual whales, jaw adaptations, similar to those found in pelicans , that enable engulfment feeding. Today,

8585-400: The skull by air-filled sinus pockets, which allow for greater directional hearing underwater. Odontocetes send out high-frequency clicks from an organ known as a melon . This melon consists of fat, and the skull of any such creature containing a melon will have a large depression. The melon size varies between species, the bigger the more dependent they are on it. A beaked whale for example has

8686-426: The skull is significantly shortened and deformed. By shifting the nostrils to the top of the head, the nasal passages extend perpendicularly through the skull. The teeth or baleen in the upper jaw sit exclusively on the maxilla . The braincase is concentrated through the nasal passage to the front and is correspondingly higher, with individual cranial bones that overlap. In toothed whales, connective tissue exists in

8787-908: The skull, something that also happens in bats . Cetaceans use sound to communicate , using groans, moans, whistles, clicks or the 'singing' of the humpback whale. Odontoceti are generally capable of echolocation . They can discern the size, shape, surface characteristics, distance and movement of an object. They can search for, chase and catch fast-swimming prey in total darkness. Most Odontoceti can distinguish between prey and nonprey (such as humans or boats); captive Odontoceti can be trained to distinguish between, for example, balls of different sizes or shapes. Echolocation clicks also contain characteristic details unique to each animal, which may suggest that toothed whales can discern between their own click and that of others. While differences in ear structure associated with echolocating abilities are found amongst Cetacea, cranial asymmetry has also been found to be

8888-429: The sperm whale and bowhead whale, possess discrete rudimentary appendages, which may contain feet and digits. Whales are fast swimmers in comparison to seals, which typically cruise at 5–15 kn, or 9–28 kilometres per hour (5.6–17.4 mph); the fin whale, in comparison, can travel at speeds up to 47 kilometres per hour (29 mph) and the sperm whale can reach speeds of 35 kilometres per hour (22 mph). The fusing of

8989-457: The spine varies by species, ranging from forty to ninety-three. The cervical spine , found in all mammals, consists of seven vertebrae which, however, are reduced or fused. This fusion provides stability during swimming at the expense of mobility. The fins are carried by the thoracic vertebrae , ranging from nine to seventeen individual vertebrae. The sternum is cartilaginous. The last two to three pairs of ribs are not connected and hang freely in

9090-500: The stomachs, whose individual sections can only be distinguished histologically . The liver is large and separate from the gall bladder . The kidneys are long and flattened. The salt concentration in cetacean blood is lower than that in seawater, requiring kidneys to excrete salt. This allows the animals to drink seawater. The urinary bladder is proportionally smaller in cetaceans than in land mammals. The testes are located internally, without an external scrotum . The uterus

9191-526: The surface of the water—that some can survive even if they are blind. Some species, such as sperm whales, are particularly well adapted for diving to great depths to catch squid and other favoured prey. Whales evolved from land-living mammals, and must regularly surface to breathe air, although they can remain underwater for long periods of time. Some species, such as the sperm whale , can stay underwater for up to 90 minutes. They have blowholes (modified nostrils) located on top of their heads, through which air

9292-427: The total lung volume. For land mammals, in comparison, this value is usually about 15%. During inhalation, about twice as much oxygen is absorbed by the lung tissue as in a land mammal. As with all mammals, the oxygen is stored in the blood and the lungs, but in cetaceans, it is also stored in various tissues, mainly in the muscles. The muscle pigment, myoglobin , provides an effective bond. This additional oxygen storage

9393-481: The tourism industry and local populations means this problem will certainly increase. The population of Galápagos is growing at a rate of approximately 6% per year, more than double population growth of mainland Ecuador . The grounding of the tanker Jessica , delivering bunker fuel and diesel for tourist boats and the Ecuadorian Navy, brought world attention to the marine threats from increased human activities on

9494-563: The twentieth century, with a population low of 450, and the North Pacific grey whale population is ranked Critically Endangered by the IUCN . Besides the threat from whalers, they also face threats from bycatch and marine pollution. The meat, blubber and baleen of whales have traditionally been used by indigenous peoples of the Arctic. Whales have been depicted in various cultures worldwide, notably by

9595-461: The water, which may allow them to travel faster. Their skeletal anatomy allows them to be fast swimmers. Most species have a dorsal fin . Whales are adapted for diving to great depths. In addition to their streamlined bodies, they can slow their heart rate to conserve oxygen; blood is rerouted from tissue tolerant of water pressure to the heart and brain among other organs; haemoglobin and myoglobin store oxygen in body tissue; and they have twice

9696-644: The water. Balaenids ( right whales and bowhead whales ) have massive heads that can make up 40% of their body mass. Most mysticetes prefer the food-rich colder waters of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, migrating to the Equator to give birth. During this process, they are capable of fasting for several months, relying on their fat reserves. The parvorder of Odontocetes – the toothed whales – include sperm whales, beaked whales, orcas, dolphins and porpoises. Generally their teeth have evolved to catch fish, squid or other marine invertebrates , not for chewing them, so prey

9797-478: The water. Upon striking an object in the water, the sound waves bounce back at the whale. These vibrations are received through fatty tissues in the jaw, which is then rerouted into the ear-bone and into the brain where the vibrations are interpreted. All toothed whales are opportunistic, meaning they will eat anything they can fit in their throat because they are unable to chew. These animals rely on their well-developed flippers and tail fin to propel themselves through

9898-488: The water; they swim by moving their fore-flippers and tail fin up and down. Whale ribs loosely articulate with their thoracic vertebrae at the proximal end, but do not form a rigid rib cage. This adaptation allows the chest to compress during deep dives as the pressure increases. Mysticetes consist of four families: rorquals (balaenopterids) , cetotheriids , right whales (balaenids) , and grey whales (eschrichtiids) . The main difference between each family of mysticete

9999-672: The water; they swim by moving their fore-flippers and tail fin up and down. Whale ribs loosely articulate with their thoracic vertebrae at the proximal end, but they do not form a rigid rib cage. This adaptation allows the chest to compress during deep dives as opposed to resisting the force of water pressure. Excluding dolphins and porpoises, odontocetes consist of four families: belugas and narwhals (monodontids) , sperm whales (physeterids) , dwarf and pygmy sperm whales (kogiids) , and beaked whales (ziphiids) . The differences between families of odontocetes include size, feeding adaptations and distribution. Monodontids consist of two species:

10100-537: The whales' closest terrestrial living relatives. Mysticetes are also known as baleen whales. They have a pair of blowholes side by side and lack teeth; instead they have baleen plates which form a sieve-like structure in the upper jaw made of keratin, which they use to filter plankton from the water. Some whales, such as the humpback, reside in the polar regions where they feed on a reliable source of schooling fish and krill . These animals rely on their well-developed flippers and tail fin to propel themselves through

10201-407: The wild. Cetaceans also face severe environmental hazards from underwater noise pollution , entanglement in abandoned ropes and nets, collisions with ships, plastic and heavy metals build-up, to accelerating climate change , but how much they are affected varies widely from species to species, from minimally in the case of the southern bottlenose whale to the baiji (Chinese river dolphin) which

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