| A | B |
|---|
| Cetacea | Order of mammals that whales & dolphins belong to the order of mammals baleen whales |
| Baleen | Strainers like giant combs which hang from the roof of the whale's mouth that filter small organisms from the water. |
| toothed whales | Sperm, killer, pilot, & beluga whales, dolphins, & porpoises. They have peglike teeth on their jaws, with which they catch prey such as fish, seals, penguins, & squid. |
| Blowhole | Opening on the top of the whaleÕs head through which it breathes.Toothed whales have one. Baleen have two. |
| Tail flukes | Powerful hind flippers which move up & down & propel the whales through the water. |
| Lobtailing | When a whale waves its tail in the air & then smashes it on the oceanÕs surface producing a sound that could be heard several kilometers away. |
| Spyhopping | When a whale raises its head above the waterÕs surface to look around for a few seconds. |
| Breaching | When a whale leaps almost completely out of the water & then crashes back down |
| Pod | An extended family group of whales. |
| Blubber | Thick layers of fat under the skins of whales which help keep them warm. |
| Melon | A fatty bump on the dolphinÕs forehead which focuses or directs the sounds produced by dolphins. |
| Echolocation | A natural form of sonar in which sound produced by the Cetacean & bounced off an object. This is used to sense objects in their environment & locate prey. |
| Stranding | Whales swim into shallow waters |
