What types of whales have dorsal fins?

What types of whales have dorsal fins?

Orca Whales: The orcas have a very tall, distinctive dorsal fin. Minke Whales, Fin Whales & Blue Whales: All three whales share a curved dorsal fin upon their broad backs.

What are throat grooves on a whale?

Humpback whales have 14-35 throat grooves that run from the chin to the navel. These grooves allow their throat to expand during the huge intake of water during filter feeding. They have small, round bumps on the front of the head (called knobs or tubercles), edging the jaws.

What are the grooves of skin on the throat of the Gray whale for?

On the throat, the Gray whale has two to seven grooves of excess skin. These grooves expand and contract, allowing the whale to scoop up giant mouthfuls of food and water when it’s feeding. During feeding, the whale’s mouth is open a lot so it won’t get hypothermia in the cold waters.

Do humpback whales have dorsal fins?

Humpbacks have small, knobby-shared dorsal fins, and broad, lobed tail flukes with unique white patterns on the undersides. Humpback pectoral fins can be up to 8 feet long. Humpback whales can also be identified by their surface activities, or aerial displays. They are the most acrobatic large whale.

Do beluga whales have dorsal fins?

Belugas, like other arctic whales, do not have dorsal fins (a dorsal fin causes extra heat loss and would be a major hindrance in the arctic ice), but they do have a tough dorsal ridge. They also have a thick layer of blubber that insulates them from the icy arctic waters.

Which whales have notches or no dorsal fin?

The Right whale is a mid-sized baleen whale. They are mostly dark gray to black with small amounts of white on the underside of their body. They have small paddle-shaped flippers, a large head that is covered with callosities (raised, rough patches of skin), a deeply notched tail, and no dorsal fin.

Do whales have fins?

Whales generally have four fins: two pectoral fins (instead of arms), a caudal fin (also called the tail) and a dorsal fin. The two pectoral fins serve as the whales’ rudders and stabilizers. The humpback whale stands out for its long pectoral fins that can reach one third of its body length.

Do dolphins have dorsal fins?

The dorsal fin helps the dolphin maintain stability. Each tail fin is called a fluke. It’s used for movement and communications. Veins in the fins and flukes help conserve body heat it cold water.

What kind of whale has no dorsal fin?

Balaenidae is a family of whales characterized by their smooth throats with no grooves, as well as the absence of a dorsal fin. In addition, balaenids have a highly arched lower jaw and large heads that accommodate the longest baleen plates among the whale families. There are four balaenid whale species:

What kind of grooves does a right whale have?

Rorqual, gray, and pygmy right whales have grooves under the throat that extend to at least the pectoral flippers. Members of the rorqual family have between 25 and 100 throat grooves, depending on the species. A gray whale has between two and seven throat grooves. A pygmy right whale has just two throat grooves.

What kind of fin does a gray whale have?

You won’t find a dorsal fin on a Gray whale. Instead they have a dorsal hump, followed by 6 to 14 nodules, or, knuckles. These bumps run all along the dorsal ridge to the flukes.

How does the throat of a gray whale work?

On the throat, the Gray whale has two to seven grooves of excess skin. These grooves expand and contract, allowing the whale to scoop up giant mouthfuls of food and water when it’s feeding. During feeding, the whale’s mouth is open a lot so it won’t get hypothermia in the cold waters.