Taxonomy Challenge
Name the three pinniped families.
Otaridae, Phocidae, Odobenidae
Name one baleen whale family discussed in class.
Balaenidae or Balaenopteridae
What do dorsal fins primarily help control?
Roll (stablization is okay)
Which pinniped family includes fur seals and sea lions?
Otaridae
A marine mammal is placed in the order Cetacea. What general body form is expected?
Streamlined, fish-like body adapted for swimming
What family do dolphins belong to?
Delphinidae
Name the five toothed whale groups identified in class.
Sperm whales, dolphins, porpoises, killer whales, narwhals
Why are baleen whales considered filter feeders?
Baleen strains prey from water (not accepting anything else has to talk about prey being strained or filtered from sea water)
What are the two groups found within Otaridae?
Sea lions and fur seals
A marine mammal is identified as having flippers, blubber, and air-breathing lungs. What broad class does it belong to?
Mammalia
What family do porpoises belong to?
Phocoenidae
A whale lacks baleen, possesses teeth, and actively captures squid in deep water. To which suborder does it belong?
Odontoceti
What oily substance is found in a sperm whale's head?
Spermaceti
Which pinniped group typically moves on land by wriggling rather than walking?
Phocids
A marine mammal is identified as having hind limbs modified into flippers and spends most of its time in water but still returns to land. What general group is it most likely from?
Pinniped
A marine mammal belongs to Mammalia, Carnivora, and Otaridae. What type of animal is it?
Sea lion or fur seal
A marine mammal is classified as Mammalia → Cetacea → Odontoceti → Delphinidae. Give two different animals that fit this classification.
Bottlenose dolphin, killer whale (accept most dolphin species)
A whale feeds by swimming through dense patches of prey with its mouth open. What adaptation makes this feeding strategy possible?
Baleen
Which pinniped family is typically better adapted for long-distance swimming efficiency?
Phocidae
A researcher compares a dolphin and a shark. Both are streamlined, but only one is a mammal. What key classification difference explains this?
Dolphin is Mammalia; shark is a fish (gills, eggs, ectothermic)- need to identify some of the differences
Two marine mammals have similar streamlined bodies but belong to different orders (Cetacea vs Carnivora). What principle of classification explains this similarity, and why does it not indicate close relation?
Convergent evolution; similar environments led to similar body shapes, but they evolved from different ancestors
Why are dolphins, porpoises, killer whales, and sperm whales all placed in Odontoceti despite major differences in size and ecology?
They all possess teeth and use active prey capture rather than filter feeding
A marine mammal loses the function of its tail flukes. Which two primary performance abilities are most directly reduced?
Propulsion and swimming efficiency (worth $500 must be exact)
Rank the following from most taxonomically broad to most specific: Otaridae, Mammalia, Carnivora.
Mammalia → Carnivora → Otaridae
Two marine mammals are placed in different orders: Cetacea and Sirenia. What major ecological difference separates these two groups?
Cetaceans are active predators; sirenians are herbivorous grazers