"The Humpback Whale"
- Humpback Whales - Humpback Whales The Humpback Whale To look up into the mountains and see the steam...
Submitted by FFE on 07/10/2008 11:52 PM
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"The Humpback Whale"
Found in all the worlds ocean's (however, rare in the artic) lurking in the oceanic and nertic zone's you will find the humpback whale. Ranging from 40 to 50 feet the humpback whale can weigh up to 40 tons, feeding on small crustaceans, plankton and small fish. Commonly known as the humpback whale, it belongs to the Kingdom Animalia, the phylum Chordata, the class Mammalia, the order Cetacea, the suborder Mysticeti, the family Balaenopteridae, the genus Megaptera, and the species Novaeangliae. (American Cetacean society fact sheet, 1996) These whales are classified as baleen whales because of the rows of stiff bristles (baleen) in their mouths. They are also grouped with roqual whales because of their pleated folds of skin along their throat. (Humpback Whale, Michael Bright) Humpback whales are well known for their "songs." They can sing these songs for hours and each song is specific to different populations. They are a very unique type of whale and have many interesting features.
When viewed from above the head of the humpback is round and broad, yet slim when viewed from the side. The top of the head and lower jaw have rounded, bump-like knobs, each containing at least one stiff hair. The purpose of these hairs is not known, though they are thought to provide the whale with a sense of touch. This species is different from other large whales by a more robust body, fewer throat grooves, a dorsal fin that varies in size and shape, and very long white flippers (up to one-third the total body length). There are between 20-35 ventral grooves which extend slightly beyond the navel. (American Cetacean society fact sheet, 1996) These whales are black or grey except for their long flippers and underneath their flukes, which have white patterns. The fluke is the tail of the whale. They have a small dorsal fin located on a hump, and bumps on their head, jaw and flippers. (All About Whales, www.enchantedlearning.com) The body of the whale is often covered with...
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