Whales Essay

1645 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Evolution of whales

Intraspecific Evolution in Whales
Whales are notable for being mammals which are fully adapted to oceanic life. These are three groups of Whales in their phylogenetic tree; Archaeocetes, Mysticeti and Odontoceti. The first group are known from their fossils and are seen to be a transitionary form as they retained a number of features associated with land mammals e.g. hind limbs with feet and limbs. The two other groups diverged around the start of the Oligocene; when the ice caps started to grow in the poles of the earth. It has been suggested that this may be due to the rise of seasonal planktonic production which could have led to specialisation (Houben, 2013); this ties in nicely with other summarisations which link the diversions of Whales in this time period. Mysticeti and Odontoceti differ on two counts; Mysticeti possess baleen making them filter feeders of plankton, in comparison Odontoceti possess a single set of teeth and have the ability to echolocate.
I am going to concentrate on Killer Whales, showing their evolution within the species. Research in this area began in 1970 in the area of British Columbia, Washington and Alaska which set out a formula for which all other studies have followed. There are three types of Orcas; Resident, Transient and Off-shore (Bigg, 1982). They differ in terms of acoustic receptors, diet, behaviour, dorsal fin shapes, geographic range, reproduction and social organisation. The resident and transient are very well understood, with the off shore not that well studied. There are various differences between populations of Orcas around the world who have various adaptions to their particular environment.
In terms of studies of orcas it must be noted that most of the data has been gathered fr...

... middle of paper ...

...9. Orca reasearch trust.
Please note I have referenced Bigg 1982 in the second paragraph; the paper is not available online nor on anything off the university library. I had contacted the Centre for Whale Research who had copies of the paper but I had to contact them and they would send it onto me which they didn’t. but it is well established that in the paper it was outlined the three types of killer whale, their feeding habits, social orgainisation, movement patterns which were later confirmed by later research. I have referenced a number of papers by John K.B. Ford who is from the same organisation. I would have referenced 3 other papers from 1986, 1987 and 1990 also by Bigg had I received the PDF’s.
The name of the paper is; An assessment of killer whale (Orcinus orca) stocks off Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Rep. Int. Whal. Commn. 32:655-666, M.A. Bigg.

Show More
Related

  • SeaWorld: Behind the Scenes

    1561 Words  | 4 Pages

    For 50 years SeaWorld has entertained park guests with numerous stunts involving the majestic sea creature, the orca, also referred to as the killer whale, and their human trainers. What the on-lookers don’t see at these shows is what goes on behind the scenes: how the whales got there in the first place, and the conditions in which they are housed.

    Read More

  • The Evolution of Whales

    1202 Words  | 3 Pages

    Scientists had some idea to the evolutionary process of whales. “It has always been clear that aquatic cetaceans must have evolved from terrestrial mammals and returned to the water, and the forelimbs of recent cetaceans still have the same general pattern as that of land mammals.” (Walking with Whales) It was known fact that land mammals and whales were related. However, the change from ancient whales to modern whales is drastic.

    Read More

  • Killer Whales - The Orcas

    1109 Words  | 3 Pages

    Orcinus orca is the scientific name for the massive marine mammal. Orcas are not rare, but have declining numbers in some areas (Martin.) Orcas are found from the Artic Ocean to the Antartic Ocean. (Britannica) They belong to the Delphinidae, or dolphin family, which is the largest of their species. Female orcas grow to be at the most 15 feet, and weigh up to 4 tons, but the males can grow as large as 20-30 feet, and weight up to 8 tons. (Martin) The color of the orca is white in some spots, black on the majority of the body, and gray just behind the dorsal fin. It is white on the chin, belly and the eye. The white patch above the eye is usually mistaken for the eye, and may confuse their prey, but acts as a camouflage for the eye. The name “killer whale” makes people tend to believe that this is a viscious man-eating mammal, yet it is one of the most shrewd, docile and playful species of the marine mammals. The orca is sexually mature at 10-15 years of age, much like humans, which is 12-13 years of age. They tend to mate year round, and is able to have a calf every two years. It is interesting to know that lactation of the mother lasts 12 or more months (Wynne.) The life expectancy of orcas is 45-50 years of age.

    Read More

  • Killer Whale Essay

    1032 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Killer Whale is a part of the toothed whale (odontoceti) suborder. The toothed whale suborder is consisted exclusively of porpoises, whales and dolphins that are born with teeth, instead of baleen plates. The Killer Whale is the largest animal in the dolphin family and is the only known to attack sharks, whales and other marine mammals.

    Read More

  • Killer Whales Essay

    1182 Words  | 3 Pages

    Whales living in captivity become aggravated and have been known to take out anger on themselves by self harming. In the pools they live in, metal bars are placed in between the pools to prevent the killer whales from swimming to another pool. On several occurrences, the whales have attempted to bite and break the metal bars. This leaves the whales with broken teeth and a risk of infection. Infections in killer whales can lead to death in many cases. If a whale gets an infection, they have to be taken out of the pool and placed into another pool by themselves to prevent any problems with other killer whales they live with. In many cases, whales with infections need serious care from whale specialists.

    Read More

  • The Killer Whales: Characteristics Of The Killer Whale

    639 Words  | 2 Pages

    Killer whales have a recognizable coloration with a black back and white belly. They also have a noticeable o...

    Read More

  • The Whale Whales

    752 Words  | 2 Pages

    While whaling isn’t nearly as popular today, in this time many men made, or attempted to make, a living in this industry. Despite the hard work, dangerous standards and general intimidation, shipmates were lured into the industry for the high pay. When feeling protected by a large ship, weapons and a fearless captain, it was easy to forget the power of what they were hunting. The sperm whale is the largest of all the toothed whales, with males maturing at an average size of fifty- two feet and sometimes can reach up to sixty-seven feet in length. “It’s twenty-foot-wide tail pumped up and down.” (Philbrick, 2000, 82) The domain of life that the sperm whale belongs to is the Eukaryote. This is because the sperm whale is an organism that is made up of cells that contain a nucleus as well as other structures that are enclosed by the cell membrane. The kingdom that it belongs to is the Animalia. This is because they are multi-cellular organisms. These animals contain other distinct features including; “interior digestion of f...

    Read More

  • The Evolution of Whales

    1101 Words  | 3 Pages

    The origin of modern day whales, a mystery that has puzzled paleontologists for years, may have just been solved with the discovery of an ankle bone. This discovery might sound simple and unimportant, but the bones of these ancient animals hold many unanswered questions and provide solid proof of origin and behavior. The relationship between whales and other animals has proven to be difficult because whales are warm-blooded, like humans, yet they live in the sea. The fact that they are warm-blooded suggests that they are related to some type of land animal. However, the questions of exactly which animal, and how whales evolved from land to water, have remained unanswered until now.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Orca Whales

    761 Words  | 2 Pages

    Orca whales do not like to be taken from their family, held captive for many decades and put with other whales that they do not know. No other living organism on this planet would like to be put through the same thing. Orca whales are highly social animals, they are very intelligent, and are very emotional. If they are kept away from other whales, fed intermittently and received little attention from staff makes them get very emotional and can lead to death of people and the whales. Orca whales should not be held captive; they are beautiful creatures that are not great for people’s amusement and if they are treated poorly, they will act poorly.

    Read More

  • Killer Whales Should Not Be Allowed In Captivity Essay

    1977 Words  | 4 Pages

    Orcas, or killer whales are majestic giants of the sea. They are actually the largest type of dolphin. They have long black bodies with distinct white patches near their eyes. A killer whale can be up to 32 feet or more in length, and weigh up to 12,000 pounds. Females are a bit smaller, but live longer (Gorman). The name “killer whale” apparently came not because it is a vicious whale, but because it preys on whales. They do not have any natural predators, and they are considered the “top dog” of the ocean. Not even the great white shark stands a chance against these superb killers. “Unlike sharks, killer whales are cautious hunters, sometimes spending hours harassing a 1,000-pound sea lion so it can easily be drowned” (Francis). Orcas use many hunting tactics that are unique to their species, which is what makes them invincible.

    Read More

  • Whale Rider Essay

    1065 Words  | 3 Pages

    The setting of the movie is in a small village in New Zealand. The people of this town have a strong belief in Paikea who is said to be “The Whale Rider.” In each generation, a male born to the Chief will take the title as Whale Rider. The film starts out in a hospital where the Chief’s oldest son, Porourangi, welcomes twin boy and girl into the world. Sadly, the mother and one of the babies die during childbirth.

    Read More

  • Dawkins Theory Of Evolution Supported By Natural Selection

    720 Words  | 2 Pages

    Fossil records show that organisms that lived in the past are different from organisms that live today. This suggests that the organisms have changed or evolved. This supports that evolution is a fact because most evidence for evolution comes from the fossil record, they show how much or how little organisms have changed over time. An example that supports this is that about how whales once walked on land but changed and is a different organism that lives today. Fossil evidence showed that the earliest relatives of enormous whales like humpbacks were comparatively small land animals. Discovered in Pakistan, Pakicetus lived 50 million years ago. They primarily lived their life on land, it is linked as a whale relative through its unique inner ear shape. Another relative of the whale is the Basilosaurids, they lived around 40 million years ago and where the first known obligate aquatic whale, indicating when whales made their permanent transition to the ocean. Another example of how evolution is supported by fossil evidence is because of the animal Tiktaalik Roseae, this is an example of a fossil that transitioned from a vertebrate life from land to water. It was discovered in Nunavut in 2004 and it is an ancient fish called sarcopteryigian. Although they have many similarities to fish with gills, scales and fins, other key characteristics link the Tiktaalik Roseae to land

    Read More

  • Marine Biology Essay

    819 Words  | 2 Pages

    Marine Biology Marine biology is the study of ocean life, estuaries, and wetlands to the extent of marine life and environments. Remotely operated vehicles, underwater habitats, satellites, sonar, computers, fiber optics, and many more are all used in this field of study. Marine biology can prevent the effects of ocean health, planet health, human health, sustainability, biodiversity, research, and product development. The oceans being effected can spread around to the whole world and impact a wide range of people and land masses. Marine biology and oceanography are typically confusing terms.

    Read More

  • The Natural History of Whale Sharks

    969 Words  | 2 Pages

    The morphology of whale sharks is mostly similar to aquatic fish species, but many specific traits help differentiate them from the rest. Whale sharks are the largest fish in the world and can reach a size of around 20 meters (Martins, C., and C. Knickle). This is often compared to the size of a school bus. The shark has a very large transverse mouth. They have 5 very large gill slits and have a larger first dorsal fin compared to the second one (Whale Shark). They have a distinctive spotted “checkerboard” pattern with stripes (Martins, C., and C. Knickle). It is not exactly known why they have this specific body marking. It is believed that the body markings act as a camouflage. The strange thing about whale sharks is that they have 300 rows of teeth that play no role in feeding (Martins, C., and C. Knickle).

    Read More

  • A Description Of The Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin

    1970 Words  | 4 Pages

    Did you know in the world there are more than 90 species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises? (WDC) The dolphin is a very important animal to the ocean and there are many different types to discover. In order to learn about dolphins, it is important to discuss where they live, their appearance, and what they eat. Some helpful words to understand are “dorsal fin”, a dorsal fin is the top pointed fin on the dolphins back, “flippers”, a flipper is a flat fin that dolphins use to swim, and “echolocation” is a tool dolphins use to find food by sounds bouncing off of objects (dictionary.com).

    Read More

More about Whales Essay

Open Document