The Megaptera novaeangliae(Humpback Whale) has a built and well rounded body that narrows to a smaller tail stock. Its head is massive, marked with protuberances containing hair and providing sites for barnacles/whale lice. Their gigantic pectoral flippers easily distinguish apart the humpback, from other whales, and can be as much as a 1/3 of its total body length. An intriguing fact of humpback behavior, on how the species got its name Megaptera or worthy wing, is when the large pectoral fin is waved in the air while the whale leaps clear above the surface. This is a very classical image portrayed in many novels.
The bodies of the Humpbacks are normally black except for small patches on the throat, belly, chin and one or both surfaces of the pectoral fins which are broadly serrated on the leading edge, in contrast with the flukes, which are common only among whales, serrated on their trailing edges. The Whales of the southern hemisphere tend to have more extensive white colors than those of the Northern Hemisphere. Barnacles, shark bites and scars are common occurrences on the whale's body. The humpbacks are known to have between fourteen to twenty-two deep throat grooves and 270 - 400 darkish brown baleen plates up to 80 centimeters long in each corner of the upper jaw.
When they are born the baby whales are 4 to 5 meters in length and reach nineteen meters. They weigh a massive 48 tons at maturity. The Humpback Whale can reach 11 and 12 meters in boys and 12 meters in girls. These species of whales are found in all seas to the edge of ice packs, but they often migrate between polar waters in tropical and summer waters in winter. They often travel in packs of four to twelve. Humpback whales feed on sardines, mackerel, krill and other tiny school fish.
Jon Pham is the owner of
little money. An online marketing blog.
Education >
Science
Humpback Whale Article
By : utexas
|
|
Keywords:
whales humpback whale meters