General Characteristics:
* Warm-blooded: Whales are mammals, meaning they are warm-blooded.
* Breathe air: Whales have lungs and must surface to breathe.
* Give birth to live young: Whales reproduce by giving birth to live young, and mothers nurse their calves.
* Hair: While whales are generally hairless, they do have some bristles, especially when they are young.
* Streamlined body: Whales have a streamlined body shape for efficient movement through water.
Physical Characteristics:
* Size: Whales range in size from the tiny dwarf sperm whale (less than 2 meters long) to the massive blue whale (over 30 meters long).
* Shape: Whale bodies can be categorized as baleen whales (with baleen plates in their mouths) or toothed whales. Baleen whales tend to be larger and have a more robust body shape, while toothed whales are more streamlined.
* Flippers: Whales have flippers, which are modified forelimbs used for steering and maneuvering.
* Flukes: Whales have a horizontal fluke, which is a tail fin that is used for propulsion.
* Blowhole: Whales have a blowhole on the top of their head, which they use to breathe.
* Teeth: Toothed whales have various types of teeth that are used for hunting and feeding. Baleen whales lack teeth, instead having baleen plates that filter food from the water.
* Baleen: Baleen whales have baleen plates in their mouths instead of teeth. Baleen plates are made of keratin, the same material as human fingernails, and are used to filter food from the water.
Behavior:
* Socialization: Whales can be solitary or social, forming pods (groups) for various reasons, such as migration, feeding, and breeding.
* Vocalizations: Whales communicate using a variety of vocalizations, including clicks, whistles, and songs.
* Migration: Many whales migrate long distances between feeding and breeding grounds.
* Diet: Whales can be carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores, with their diets depending on the species and its baleen or teeth.
These characteristics are used to classify whales into different families, genera, and species.
For example, scientists might classify a whale based on:
* Presence or absence of baleen: This immediately divides them into baleen whales (like humpbacks) or toothed whales (like dolphins).
* Specific teeth: Toothed whales are further categorized by their tooth structure, which helps scientists differentiate species like sperm whales and orcas.
* Blowhole location and structure: The number and arrangement of blowholes (on the top of the head) can help differentiate between species, such as the two blowholes of a humpback whale compared to the single blowhole of a bottlenose dolphin.
* Fluke shape and pattern: The fluke can have unique markings or shapes that help with species identification.
By carefully observing these characteristics, scientists can classify whales accurately and learn more about their behavior, ecology, and evolution.