 Kingdom:
Animalia |
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 Phylum:
Chordata (vertebrates) |
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 Class:
Mammalia (mammals) |
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 Order:
Cetacea
(whales)
Includes
3 sub-orders with 13 families and 83 different species.
Whale
Gallery
Whale
pictures |
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Sub-orders: There 3 sub-orders: Mysticeti, Odontoceti,
and Archaeoceti
 Mysticeti (baleen whales) -
Includes
blue whales, humpback whales, gray whales and right whales.
Blue Whales
Humpback Whales
Gray Whales
Whale
behavior.
What
you should know about baleen whales.
There are 12 baleen whale species divided into 4 families:
right, pygmy right, gray and rorqual whales. |
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1.
Right Whales - Right
whales were called the "right" whales to catch by
early hunters because they are large, swim slowly, have long
baleen plates, contain lots of oil, and float when killed.
Right whales have no dorsal fin, no throat grooves, and extremely
long baleen plates contained in a hugely arched jaw. There
are three species of right whales: the Northern right whale,
Southern right whale, and bowhead whale.
Right
Whales - Enchanted
Learning, Discovering
Whales |
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Northern Right Whale - National
Marine Mammal Laboratory, Exzooberance |
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Southern Right Whale - National
Marine Mammal Laboratory, Exzooberance |
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Bowhead Whale - Bowhead Whale, Enchanted
Learning, National
Marine Mammal Laboratory, Discovering
Whales, Exzooberance |
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2.
Pygmy Right Whales - Unlike
other members of the right whale family, the pygmy right whale
has a dorsal fin. Sometimes the pygmy right whales are classified
with the right whales. |
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3.
Rorqual Whales - Rorqual
whales are relatively streamlined in appearance, many throat
grooves, a small dorsal fin, and shorter baleen plates, and
have pointed heads and small pointed fins. They can be distinguished
from other whales by many (25-90) deep groves along their throats
that expand when they feed. There are 8 species of rorqual whales:
the humpback whale, fin whale, Bryde's whale, blue whale, northern
minke, antarctic minke, Eden's ("small-type") whale. |
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- Humpback
Whale - Marine
Mammal Center, National
Marine Mammal Laboratory, Enchanted
Learning, Discovering
Whales, Exzooberance,
Humpbacks
- Fin
Whale - Discovering
Whales, Exzooberance
- Bryde's
Whale - Discovering
Whales
- Blue
Whale - Marine
Mammal Center, Enchanted
Learning, Discovering
Whales, Blue
Whales
- Northern
& Antarctic Minke - Enchanted
Learning, Discovering
Whales
- Sei
Whale - Discovering
Whales
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4.
Gray Whales - Gray
whales are gray in color and their skin is encrusted with
barnacles and a unique species of small crustaceans known
as "whale lice." The gray whale has a few throat
grooves, short baleen plates, and a small dorsal hump followed
by a series of bumps. Only one species - the gray whale. |
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Odontoceti (toothed whales) - These
whales have teeth and a single blowhole.
Includes killer whales, dolphins, porpoises, manatees, beluga
whales, and sperm whales. |
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Killer
or Orca Whales |
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Beluga
Whales
- Belugas, Discovering
Whales, Enchanted
Learning, Marine
Mammal Center, Arctic
Studies Center, Exzooberance,
Kenai
Pennisula Online, Smithsonian
- beluga whales
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Where are beluga whales found in the wild?
Where is the beluga's dorsal fin?
What/How much do belugas eat?
How long do belugas live?
How fast can belugas swim?
How long can belugas hold their breath?
What are threats to belugas in the wild?
What is the gestation period for beluga whales?
Do beluga whales mate for life?
Does Shedd have room for any more whales?
What is a beluga calf's size at birth?
What does a calf look like?
How is a beluga calf born?
What is the nursing period for beluga whales?
How long will the mother and calf remain a pair?
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 Answers |
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Narwhal - Discovering
Whales, SeaWorld,
Exzooberance |
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Sperm
Whales - Discovering
Whales, Exzooberance |
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Dwarf
Sperm Whales |
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Pygmy
Sperm Whale -
Discovering
Whales, |
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Beaked
Whales - Discovering
Whales, |
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Blackfish
(Smaller Toothed Whales) |
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Bottlenose
Dolphins
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Porpoises
• Porpoises,
Exzooberance
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Manatee
•
Picture
of manatee with baby
• Natureworks
- West Indian Manatee
• The
Trouble with Manatees and the Florida Water Story
• Kids
Only - Manatees & Dugongs
• Manatee
Junction
• SeaWorld
•
Manatees
- facts and photos
•
Exzooberance |
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Archaeoceti
(which are all now extinct), which includes primitive whales
from the Eocene |
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