The family is smooth. Southern right whale. See what "Smooth whales" are in other dictionaries
general description
This family includes the most massive, clumsy and large-headed whales. The name is due to the fact that their belly and throat are smooth, devoid of furrows and stripes. The sizes are large - body length is from 11 to 18 (rarely 21) m, weight is from 30 to 80–100 tons. The most typical body length is 13–16 m. Females of southern right whales are 0.3–1 m larger than males. The head is huge, 1/4–1/3 of the body length. The body is thick, rounded, with a significant layer of subcutaneous fat, reaching 36 cm on the back. The cervical interception is not pronounced. Adult bowhead whales are characterized by 2 humps on their backs, visible in profile. The caudal fin is wide - up to 40% of the body length, with pointed ends and a strong notch in the middle. The dorsal fin is absent. The pectoral fins are short and wide, paddle-shaped.
Male right whales have probably the largest testicles among animals - their weight reaches 500 kg, which, however, is less than 1% of the weight of an adult whale.
Lifestyle and numbers
The range of the family covers the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific oceans between 20 and 60 °. northern view Eubalaena glacialis lives in the North Atlantic, the Japanese right whale is found in the North Pacific, from Japan to Alaska, southern species Eubalaena australis- in temperate and cold waters of the Southern Hemisphere. The bowhead whale is distributed in the cold waters of the Northern Hemisphere, where its habitat is associated with floating ice. Rare in the open sea, they live off the coast and on the continental shelf.
Smooth whales swim slowly, do not dive deep, adhering to the surface layers of water, where there are large accumulations of their only food - small planktonic crustaceans (mainly calanus, Calanus). Less commonly, they eat small (4–5 mm) pteropods. They don't eat fish. Swimming into the accumulation of plankton, whales open their mouths and filter food from the water with the help of a whalebone. The plankton is then scraped off the plates with the tongue. For food, they usually dive no deeper than 15–18 m, remaining under water for 10–20 minutes. The speed of a calmly swimming whale is about 7 km / h, frightened or injured - up to 14 km / h. Despite their slowness, right whales are able to make powerful multiple jumps, rapidly emerging from the water, rise vertically above the surface of the water, and even do a “headstand” ( Eubalaena australis). Quite playful and inquisitive, especially young individuals; can play with objects in the water.
Right whales are kept alone or in groups of 3-4 individuals, especially in places where food is accumulated. The songs of the whales of this family are quite simple; as a rule, they make sounds at a frequency of about 500 Hz. Migrations are rather weakly expressed. They never swim in tropical waters, as a thick layer of subcutaneous fat impairs heat transfer. The biology of reproduction has been little studied. The duration of pregnancy is about 12 months. Right whale calves in the Northern Hemisphere are born from January to April; bowhead whales from March to August, most often in May. The length of a newborn smooth whale is 4.5–5.2 m. The parental instinct is highly developed. The female brings 1 cub every 2 (southern right whales) or 3–4 years (bowhead whale). Life expectancy of 40 years or more. The only enemies of young right whales are killer whales and, more rarely, large sharks.
Right whales were heavily exterminated even before the mechanization of whaling, because they are easy to catch: they live near the coast, near the surface of the water, are slow, and dead whales stay on the surface of the water due to the large amount (up to 40% of body weight) of subcutaneous fat, making it easier towing. At present, right whales are not numerous and have no economic importance. The number of northern right whales is estimated at only 300 individuals, Japanese - at 200, southern - at 7,500 individuals. The first two species are listed in the International Red Book as endangered species, the population of southern right whales is gradually recovering, increasing by about 7% per year. Hunting for smooth whales has been banned by an international convention since 1937. The extraction of a small number of whales is allowed only
Southern right whale (lat. Eubalaena australis) was one of the first among its brethren to suffer from whaling. Unfortunately, it is very slow, which, combined with curiosity, makes it easy prey even for a primitive vessel of the last century. Towing such a whale was a piece of cake, as it kept on the surface of the water all the time due to its thick layer of fat.
However, already in 1935, the southern right whale came under protection as an endangered species. Since then, its population has been slowly but surely growing, reaching 7-7.5 thousand individuals by now. In appearance, it is so similar to its fellow North Atlantic and Japanese whales that before all three even belonged to the same species.
The color of the southern right whale varies from blue-black to light brown. Interestingly, sometimes white male whales are born, which at the same time are not albinos. Near the lower jaw and above the eyes, each representative of the species has peculiar skin growths that are so individual that they can even serve for identification.
The maximum body length of the southern smooth whale can reach 18 m with a weight of about 80 tons. It's funny, but as much as 2% of the body weight (over a ton) falls on its genitals, which are considered the largest in the entire animal world. Also, these whales have a huge head, the size of which takes up to 35% of the body length.
Southern right whales live in the Southern Ocean. Here they meet between 30 and 50 degrees south latitude. In winter, they migrate to warmer waters to breed. Most often, these whales are seen at the Cape of Good Hope, near the Valdes Peninsula in Argentina and near the city of Albany, which is located in Western Australia.
They are quite curious, so they often come close to ships and boats, allowing themselves to be well examined. But they never swim in tropical waters, because a thick layer of fat (up to 36 cm on the back) interferes with effective heat transfer.
Pregnancy in females lasts about 12 months. At the same time, once every two years, a newborn whale calf is born, 5-6 m long and weighing from one to one and a half tons. The female tries to protect him from predators, so for the first time after giving birth, mother and baby stay in secluded coves. Lactation lasts up to six months. All this time, the baby is growing rapidly (3 cm per day).
Southern smooth whales feed on plankton, sucking it up with water and filtering it through a whalebone. But they are not interested in fish at all. These are very slow animals, the average speed of which is 9 km / h. Frightened whales accelerate to 14 km/h. But with all this, they are able to surprise with acrobatic stunts. For example, make powerful multiple jumps or quickly emerge from the water, stopping almost vertically. Sometimes they even amaze observers with a kind of “headstand”. In general, they are very playful and inquisitive.
Southern right whales live up to 40 years. They have almost no natural enemies, except that large sharks are able to attack young whales. Sometimes they run into court. But in general, the status of the species causes the least concern.
general description
This family includes the most massive, clumsy and large-headed whales. The name is due to the fact that their belly and throat are smooth, devoid of furrows and stripes. The sizes are large - body length is from 11 to 18 (rarely 21) m, weight is from 30 to 80–100 tons. The most typical body length is 13–16 m. Females of southern right whales are 0.3–1 m larger than males. The head is huge, 1/4–1/3 of the body length. The body is thick, rounded, with a significant layer of subcutaneous fat, reaching 36 cm on the back. The cervical interception is not pronounced. Adult bowhead whales are characterized by 2 humps on their backs, visible in profile. The caudal fin is wide - up to 40% of the body length, with pointed ends and a strong notch in the middle. The dorsal fin is absent. The pectoral fins are short and wide, paddle-shaped.
Male right whales have probably the largest testicles among animals - their weight reaches 500 kg, which, however, is less than 1% of the weight of an adult whale.
Lifestyle and numbers
The range of the family covers the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific oceans between 20 and 60 °. northern view Eubalaena glacialis lives in the North Atlantic, the Japanese right whale is found in the North Pacific, from Japan to Alaska, southern species Eubalaena australis- in temperate and cold waters of the Southern Hemisphere. The bowhead whale is distributed in the cold waters of the Northern Hemisphere, where its habitat is associated with floating ice. Rare in the open sea, they live off the coast and on the continental shelf.
Smooth whales swim slowly, do not dive deep, adhering to the surface layers of water, where there are large accumulations of their only food - small planktonic crustaceans (mainly calanus, Calanus). Less commonly, they eat small (4–5 mm) pteropods. They don't eat fish. Swimming into the accumulation of plankton, the whales open their mouths and filter food from the water with the help of a whalebone. The plankton is then scraped off the plates with the tongue. For food, they usually dive no deeper than 15–18 m, remaining under water for 10–20 minutes. The speed of a calmly swimming whale is about 7 km / h, frightened or injured - up to 14 km / h. Despite their slowness, right whales are able to make powerful multiple jumps, rapidly emerging from the water, rise vertically above the surface of the water, and even do a “headstand” ( Eubalaena australis). Quite playful and inquisitive, especially young individuals; can play with objects in the water.
Right whales are kept alone or in groups of 3-4 individuals, especially in places where food is accumulated. The songs of the whales of this family are quite simple; as a rule, they make sounds at a frequency of about 500 Hz. Migrations are rather weakly expressed. They never swim in tropical waters, as a thick layer of subcutaneous fat impairs heat transfer. The biology of reproduction has been little studied. The duration of pregnancy is about 12 months. Right whale calves in the Northern Hemisphere are born from January to April; bowhead whales from March to August, most often in May. The length of a newborn smooth whale is 4.5–5.2 m. The parental instinct is highly developed. The female brings 1 cub every 2 (southern right whales) or 3–4 years (bowhead whale). Life expectancy of 40 years or more. The only enemies of young right whales are killer whales and, more rarely, large sharks.
Right whales were heavily exterminated even before the mechanization of whaling, because they are easy to catch: they live near the coast, near the surface of the water, are slow, and dead whales stay on the surface of the water due to the large amount (up to 40% of body weight) of subcutaneous fat, making it easier towing. At present, right whales are not numerous and have no economic importance. The number of northern right whales is estimated at only 300 individuals, Japanese - at 200, southern - at 7,500 individuals. The first two species are listed in the International Red Book as endangered species, the population of southern right whales is gradually recovering, increasing by about 7% per year. Hunting for smooth whales has been banned by an international convention since 1937. The extraction of a small number of whales is allowed only to the aboriginal population. One of the main threats to right whales is ship collisions during migrations, during which whales cross Northern Hemisphere shipping routes.
List of species
The family currently includes 2 genera and 4 species:
- bowhead whales ( Balaena)
- bowhead whale ( Balaena mysticetus)
- Southern right whales ( Eubalaena) are also called "smooth".
- Southern right whale ( Eubalaena australis)
- Northern right whale ( Eubalaena glacialis)
- Japanese whale ( Eubalaena japonica).
The genus of southern right whales was originally considered monotypic, divided into 3 subspecies. A recent study of the genomes of the whales themselves and the whale lice that live on them has shown that different populations of southern right whales have not interbred for at least 3-5 million years. Fossils of another 5 species of whales of the genus Balaena, who lived at the end of the Miocene - the beginning of the Pleistocene, were found in Europe and North America: B. affinis,B.etrusca, B.montalionis, B. primigenius and B.prisca(the latter is probably the ancestor of the bowhead whale). The nearest fossil cetacean, Morenocetus, dates back to 23 million years.
Write a review on the article "Smooth whales"
Notes
Links
- (Russian)
- (Russian)
- (English)
An excerpt characterizing the Smooth whales
“Good, but he won’t like it very much,” Bolkonsky remarked.- Oh, and very much! My brother knows him: he dined with him more than once, with the present emperor, in Paris and told me that he had never seen a more refined and cunning diplomat: you know, a combination of French dexterity and Italian acting? Do you know his jokes with Count Markov? Only one Count Markov knew how to handle him. Do you know the history of the scarf? This is a charm!
And the garrulous Dolgorukov, turning now to Boris, now to Prince Andrei, told how Bonaparte, wanting to test Markov, our envoy, purposely dropped his handkerchief in front of him and stopped, looking at him, probably expecting services from Markov, and how, Markov immediately he dropped his handkerchief beside him and picked up his own without picking up Bonaparte's handkerchief.
- Charmant, [Charming,] - said Bolkonsky, - but here's what, prince, I came to you as a petitioner for this young man. Do you see what?…
But Prince Andrei did not have time to finish, when an adjutant entered the room, who called Prince Dolgorukov to the emperor.
- Oh, what a shame! - said Dolgorukov, hastily getting up and shaking hands with Prince Andrei and Boris. - You know, I am very glad to do everything that depends on me, both for you and for this nice young man. - He once again shook Boris's hand with an expression of good-natured, sincere and lively frivolity. “But you see…until another time!”
Boris was excited by the thought of the closeness to the highest power in which he felt himself at that moment. He was aware of himself here in contact with those springs that guided all those enormous movements of the masses, of which he in his regiment felt himself to be a small, obedient and insignificant part. They went out into the corridor after Prince Dolgorukov and met a short man in civilian clothes, with an intelligent face and a sharp line of protruding jaw, which, without spoiling him, gave him a special vivacity and resourcefulness of expression. This short man nodded, as to his own, Dolgoruky, and began to stare at Prince Andrei with an intently cold look, walking straight at him and apparently waiting for Prince Andrei to bow to him or give way. Prince Andrei did neither one nor the other; Anger was expressed in his face, and the young man, turning away, walked along the side of the corridor.
- Who is it? Boris asked.
- This is one of the most remarkable, but the most unpleasant people to me. This is the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Adam Czartoryski.
“These are the people,” said Bolkonsky with a sigh that he could not suppress, while they were leaving the palace, “these are the people who decide the fate of peoples.
The next day, the troops set out on a campaign, and Boris did not have time to visit either Bolkonsky or Dolgorukov until the battle of Austerlitz, and remained for a while in the Izmailovsky regiment.
At dawn on the 16th, Denisov's squadron, in which Nikolai Rostov served, and who was in the detachment of Prince Bagration, moved from overnight to work, as they said, and, having passed about a verst behind other columns, was stopped on the main road. Rostov saw how the Cossacks, the 1st and 2nd squadrons of hussars, infantry battalions with artillery passed by him, and generals Bagration and Dolgorukov with adjutants passed by. All the fear that he, as before, experienced before the deed; all the internal struggle through which he overcame this fear; all his dreams of how he would distinguish himself like a hussar in this matter were in vain. Their squadron was left in reserve, and Nikolai Rostov spent that day bored and dreary. At 9 o'clock in the morning he heard firing ahead of him, shouts of cheers, saw the wounded brought back (there were few of them) and, finally, saw how in the middle of hundreds of Cossacks they led a whole detachment of French cavalrymen. Obviously, the matter was over, and the matter was apparently small, but happy. Soldiers and officers passing back spoke of a brilliant victory, about the occupation of the city of Vishau and the capture of an entire French squadron. The day was clear, sunny, after a strong night frost, and the merry brilliance of the autumn day coincided with the news of the victory, which was conveyed not only by the stories of those who participated in it, but also by the joyful expression on the faces of soldiers, officers, generals and adjutants who were traveling back and forth past Rostov . The more painful was the heart of Nikolai, who in vain had suffered all the fear that preceded the battle, and spent this cheerful day in inaction.
- Rostov, come here, let's drink from grief! shouted Denisov, sitting down on the edge of the road in front of a flask and a snack.
The officers gathered in a circle, eating and talking, near Denisov's cellar.
- Here's another one! - said one of the officers, pointing to a French dragoon prisoner, who was led on foot by two Cossacks.
One of them led a tall and beautiful French horse taken from a prisoner.
- Sell the horse! shouted Denisov to the Cossack.
"Excuse me, your honor..."
The officers stood up and surrounded the Cossacks and the captured Frenchman. The French dragoon was a young fellow, an Alsatian who spoke French with a German accent. He was choking with excitement, his face was red, and, hearing French, he quickly spoke to the officers, addressing first to one, then to the other. He said they wouldn't take him; that it was not his fault that they took him, but le caporal, who sent him to seize blankets, that he told him that the Russians were already there. And to every word he added: mais qu "on ne fasse pas de mal a mon petit cheval [But don't hurt my horse,] and caressed his horse. It was evident that he did not understand well where he was. He then apologized, that he was taken, then, assuming before him his superiors, showed his soldierly serviceability and care for the service.He brought with him to our rearguard in all the freshness the atmosphere of the French army, which was so alien to us.
The Cossacks gave the horse for two chervonets, and Rostov, now having received the money, the richest of the officers, bought it.
- Mais qu "on ne fasse pas de mal a mon petit cheval," the Alsatian said good-naturedly to Rostov when the horse was handed over to the hussar.
Rostov, smiling, reassured the dragoon and gave him money.
- Hello! Hello! - said the Cossack, touching the prisoner's hand so that he would go further.
- Sovereign! Sovereign! was suddenly heard among the hussars.
Everything ran, hurried, and Rostov saw several horsemen with white sultans on their hats driving up along the road. In one minute everyone was in place and waiting. Rostov did not remember and did not feel how he ran to his place and got on his horse. Instantly his regret for non-participation in the case, his everyday disposition of the spirit in the circle of looking at faces, instantly disappeared, all thought of himself disappeared: he was completely absorbed in the feeling of happiness that comes from the closeness of the sovereign. He felt himself rewarded for the loss of this day by this closeness alone. He was happy, like a lover waiting for an expected date. Not daring to look back at the front and not looking back, he felt with an enthusiastic instinct its approach. And he felt this not only from the sound of the hooves of the horses of the approaching cavalcade, but he felt it because, as he approached, everything became brighter, more joyful, more significant and more festive around him. This sun for Rostov moved closer and closer, spreading rays of gentle and majestic light around itself, and now he already feels captured by these rays, he hears his voice - this gentle, calm, majestic and at the same time so simple voice. As it should have been according to Rostov's feelings, there was dead silence, and in this silence the sounds of the sovereign's voice were heard.
Smooth (real) whales are very massive, clumsy and large-headed mammals plowing the oceans of our planet. The name of their family is due to the absence of all kinds of stripes and grooves on the throat and belly, which makes the body unusually smooth. Currently, the family of these giants includes two genera and four species. The largest whale from the family of smooth giant cetaceans is the bowhead. Consider these marine animals in more detail.
Systematization of right whales
Before starting the story, it would be advisable to list all the members of the family. Moreover, there are not so many of them. Zoologists divide these marine animals into only two genera. The first - bowhead whales - is represented by a single species of the same name. The second - southern whales - is represented by three species: northern, southern and Japanese. It is curious that the genus of bowhead whales at the end of the Miocene and the beginning of the Pleistocene was represented by five more different species. Their fossils have been found in North America and Europe.
Family Description
As mentioned above, the representatives of this family are massive and clumsy giants with a huge head. In length, these animals can reach up to 18, and sometimes up to 22 meters. Their weight at the same time ranges from 30 to 100 tons. Mostly there are individuals 15 meters long. The body of these and smooth downwards. They do not have any longitudinal stripes and furrows, for which they were allocated to the corresponding family. The fins of these animals are short, but wide, and the oral cavity is narrow, but high.
Where do they live?
Representatives of the family of smooth giants live mainly in oceanic waters, inhabiting the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans. For example, the northern right whale inhabits the waters of the Atlantic. Its Japanese counterpart can be found throughout the North Pacific. The southern species of these cetaceans is widespread in the cold and temperate waters of the Earth. A large whale from the family of smooth whales - the polar bowhead - prefers cold waters. Its habitat is directly related to the floating ice available there.
Lifestyle of right whales
Not so long ago, zoologists finally found out that representatives of this family prefer to stay alone. Rarely they get together in groups consisting of 4-5 individuals, but no more than that. In groups, these whales are found in places with the greatest accumulation of food. Giants swim almost on the surface of the water.
Scientists describe the process of feeding smooth whales as something fascinating and unusual: during their meal, they swim in a line with their mouths wide open and, like vacuum cleaners, suck in all kinds of crustaceans, plankton and other living creatures. The existing thick layer of subcutaneous fat significantly impairs heat transfer in the body of these creatures, so they never swim in tropical waters.
Right whales, like all other cetaceans, are viviparous mammals. In other words, they not only give birth to already live cubs, but also feed them with milk! That's why it's a mistake to think that whales are fish. By the way, whale milk is 10 times more nutritious than cow milk. That is why little whales grow very quickly.
King of the family
The bowhead whale is the largest of all mammals of the family represented. As mentioned above, this is the only representative of the genus of the same name. Belongs to the suborder It is currently known for certain that the maximum body length of this giant can reach 22 meters. The females are usually larger than the males. The weight of these mammals ranges from 80 to 150 tons. Bowhead whales are excellent divers. They can easily dive to a depth of 200 meters and stay there for up to 40 minutes. The average speed of movement of bowhead whales is 20 km / h.
A large whale from the smooth family is the record holder for life expectancy among vertebrates. It averages 40 years, but this is far from the limit. Scientists say that some specimens live up to 211 years! This is definitely a record!
How and what does the bowhead whale eat?
The basis of the diet of these giants is plankton - their favorite food. The bowhead whale prefers to eat small crustaceans (for example, calanus) and winged mollusks. Adult whales consume up to 2 tons of plankton per day! The process of feeding in these animals is no different from the feeding of all representatives of the suborder of baleen whales. In this they are helped by the so-called whalebone - the accumulation of special hanging plates in the mouth. One individual can have from 320 to 370 pieces. The length of each plate is up to 4.5 meters.
Like all its relatives, a large whale from the family of smooth whales moves with an open mouth in the water column during feeding, cutting it with its powerful and massive body. He, like a giant vacuum cleaner, draws in everything that comes his way. This is where his natural filter, the whalebone, comes into play. Crustaceans settle on the giant plates of this mustache, after which they are inevitably scraped off by the tongue and swallowed. The thinnest structure of such plates allows the mammal to filter out crustaceans, which, due to their size, may be inaccessible to other whales.
On the brink of extinction
Representatives of the family of cetaceans were quite heavily exterminated by man long before the improvement of the whaling process. And all because smooth whales are easy to catch: they live in the upper water layers, stay near the coast. In addition, they are slow and clumsy. Unfortunately, at present, the number of these mammals leaves much to be desired. For example, the southern whale is represented by 7000 individuals, and the northern whale is represented by 300 individuals. there are no more than 200 left.
Northern and Japanese whales are listed in the Red Book as endangered species. The population of their southern counterparts, fortunately, is gradually recovering. Such an increased interest in these giants is due to the convenience of their transportation. The fact is that a large amount of subcutaneous fat does not allow the animal killed by whalers to sink into the water - the mammal remains to drift on the surface of the water.