collapsable lungs, used by most/ all toothed whales and some pinnipeds Here are several characteristics that show some of the major differences between whales and fish: Whales Are warm-blooded Breath air Give birth to their young Produce milk Fish Are cold-blooded Extract oxygen from the water using gills Lay eggs They aren't known for nurturing their young Note: Whales can vary greatly in terms of weights and size. Sometimes they are pure white sometimes times they aren't. They have a small size in comparison to other whales but are fairly big to humans. The living Cetacea are divided into two suborders Odontoceti (toothed whales) and Mysticeti or . Sea otters are the largest member of weasel family, and the only one that lives almost entirely in the water -- hunting on the ocean floor, and coming to the surface to eat, groom, rest and socialize with other otters. build large messy nests along coast out of anything they can find, long-necked coastal diving birds They contain no . dolphins and whales ), pinnipeds (e.g. [8], Whales and their relatives have a soft tissue flipper that encases most of the forelimb, and elongated digits with an increased number of phalanges. They have broad, paddle-like flippers and a notched tail.Young Belugas are born dark grey sometimes even brown! . flattened, spade-shaped teeth, small whales with a distinctive beak pectoral limbs modified into broad paddle-like flippers. Order 13. Five digits help support a broad flipper (e.g., right whales), while four digits closely appressed are seen in narrow, elongated flippers (e.g., humpback whales). The fore- limbs are paddle-like flippers, and there are no external hints of hind-limbs beyond mere button-like knobs in some embryos. Look through examples of flipper translation in sentences, listen to pronunciation and learn grammar. A flipper is a broad, flattened limb adapted for aquatic locomotion. These large marine mammals can measure 10 feet long and weigh up to 2,000 pounds. as distinguished from the smaller dolphins and porpoises, having a fishlike body, forelimbs modified into flippers, and a head that is horizontally flattened. They have conical, pointed teeth in the lower or both jaws, or one tusklike tooth in the upper jaw. All cetaceans have forelimbs that have been modified into flippers and no hind limbs. 1. . A thick layer of blubber beneath their skin helps to conserve heat. Webbed front feet evolved into paddle-like flippers. very good swimmers- remain completely at sea unless they are breeding, found along shores They can easily glide through the water by flapping their front flippers. . This forms a tapered, flat flipper for swimming. Its paddle-like front flippers are used for turning their bodies and slowing down. Belugas have a broad, rounded head and a large forehead.Belugas are toothed whales. walruses, earless and eared seals ), sirenians (e.g. It is home to the world's largest population of Beluga Whales. curved dorsal fins Hyperphalangy was present among extinct ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, and mosasaurs. Elephant seals are large, earless seals that have relatively small flippers compared to their large bodies. Wings are modified into paddle-like flippers. 1. the presence of exterior ears or pinnae. diet: sea urchins, clams, abalone, crabs (railcoot, plover, crane, herons), homeotherms Flippers are appendages that marine animals use for moving and steering through the water. manatees and dugongs), and marine reptiles such as the sea turtles and the now-extinct plesiosaurs, mosasaurs, ichthyosaurs, and metriorhynchids. beaked whales, characterized by a snout drawn into a beak inhabit deep ocean basins. Beluga whales are small whale species that live in the Arctic Ocean. air sacs in the blowhole make low frequency noise that can be changes (low- landscape, higher- directed when chasing prey) Orcas have been known to throw prey with their tails and flippers. They are massive, reaching over 50 feet in length and weighing in at over 40 metric tons. The northern fur seal migrates in winter from the Bering Sea to California and Japan. Tail divided in two broad horizontal fleshy flukes with a notch, used in propulsion. Despite their enormous size, whales make their living as voracious predators. The beluga whale has a flexible neck that enables it to turn its head in all directions. Its upper canines form tusks up to 27 inches long that it hooks into ice floes to pull itself out of the water. in marine mammals such as whales, a wide flat limb, adapted for swimming +19 definitions . Instead of having wings like other birds, penguins have tapered, flattened flippers for swimming. . 4. Limbs: webbed feet are developed. River otters weigh up to 18 pounds and reach up to 4 feet long, including their tail. The tubercles break up the passage of water, maintaining even channels of the fast-moving water, limiting turbulence and providing greater maneuverability. Its paddle-like front flippers are used for turning their bodies and slowing down. So that the animal only has to lift a little bit of its body above the water in order to breath. omnivores but prefer meat Calculate the power developed by an engine with torque 1250N1250 \mathrm{~N}1250N m applied at 5000rpm50 \overline{0} 0 \mathrm{rpm}5000rpm. Dugongs root for water grasses day and night. theia group stock Whales Whales have streamlined bodies tapering toward the horizontal tail that distinguishes them from fish. Informal Terms something big . A flipper is a broad, flattened limb adapted for aquatic locomotion. noise. hind flippers only used for swimming- dragged on land spend almost entire life in the water, largest land carnivore 18 species; 17 in antarctica, 1 in galapagos more blood- more red blood cells- more hemoglobin external ear flaps They are different from seals because they can turn their hind flippers around to walk on all fours. Through research the articles are well crafted and users will able to find the useful information about animals. Beneath a whales' flipper isn't the paddle-like anatomy you might imagine, but instead a pentadactyl limb consisting of five finger-like bony protrusions. Order - Cetacea. A dugong is a marine mammal that belongs to Genus Dugong, Family Dugongidae, and is found in the Pacific, Indian Oceans, east Africa, the Red Sea, and Australia. Their front limbs have been modified into broad flippers. Their front flippers are positioned close to their small head. The duck-billed platypus lives in the freshwater rivers and streams of eastern Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea. Didemnum . family physeteridae. An introduction to evolution: what is evolution and how does it work? male bull elephant seals are the largest pinnipeds Notochord can be seen only in the larval stage and disappears in the adults. They have a stocky appearance and no dorsal fin. Young belugas are called calves. Whales are large marine mammals well adapted for aquatic life. must rest and breed on land The difference between a hummingbird and a penguin is immense, but hardly as startling as that Emperor Penguins, for example, "nest" where there is just ice, with no exposed rock. Co3+(aq)+6NH3(aq)Co(NH3)63+\mathrm{Co}^{3+}(a q)+6 \mathrm{NH}_3(a q) \rightleftarrows \mathrm{Co}\left(\mathrm{NH}_3\right)_6^{3+} Paddle noun A double-bladed oar used for kayaking. any of an order of sea mammals with flippers church audio visual companies near me assignation pronunciation Navigation. [12], Because of the specialization of flippers and their hydrodynamic constraints, it was thought that they were not used to significantly interact with the environment, unlike the legs of terrestrial tetrapods. The larva can move and undergoes a metamorphosis. Sea lions use their large front and rear flippers to walk and maneuver on dry land. Animals with flippers include penguins (whose flippers are also called wings), cetaceans (e.g. Fortunately, They have thin and long flippers that are perfect for swimming through the water. The forelimbs of baleen whales are pectoral flippers. (8) Heart 2-chambered (1 auricle and 1 ventricle). The average life span in the wild is up to 40 years. The beak or bill is broad and flat just like a duck, hence named as duck-billed platypus. We also share helpful tips and guides on a variety of topics related to animals and nature. Their wide flukes have a smooth trailing edge separated by a pronounced notch. no external ears It grows up to 13 feet long and weighs up to 1,300 pounds. valued for fur and oil- not well adapted for land (easy to hunt) walruses, earless and eared seals), sirenians (e.g. (7) Respiration by 5 to 7 pairs of gills. Whales in this suborder include river dolphins, beaked whales, sperm whales, beluga or white whales, narwhal, killer whales, Atlantic bottlenose dolphins and the common or harbor porpoise. [4], The evolution of flippers in penguins was at the expense of their flying capabilities, in spite of evolving from an auk-like ancestor that could 'fly' underwater as well in the air. Heavy, solid bones These act like a diver's weight belt, allowing them to stay underwater. 1. the flat broad limb of seals, whales, penguins, and other aquatic animals, specialized for swimming. The animal's flippers are small but mighty, enabling them to swim at speeds of up to 17 miles per hour. Mar 8, 2017 - Adult beluga whales are easily distinguished by their often pure white skin, their small size and their lack of dorsal fin. Seals are unable to do this. Their front limbs have been modified into broad flippers. This marine mammal is the smallest known Cetacean, a Cetacean is a group of mammals including whales, dolphins, or porpoises. may live in cold waters (blubber to keep warm- also acts as cushioning when moving on land and ice, prevents organs from being crushed, and provides buoyancy), 19 species, monk seals are the only warm water species efficient oxygen removal from the air (~90%) The presence of interdigital webbing within the fossils of semi-aquatic Eocene cetaceans was probably the result of BMP antagonists counteracting interdigital apoptosis during embryonic limb development. The process continued over time, and a very derived form of hyperphalangy, with six or more phalanges per digit, evolved convergently in rorqual whales and oceanic dolphins, and was likely associated with another wave of signaling within the interdigital tissues. conical interlocking teeth The snout of a dugong is broad , short , and trunk - like . They weigh 5,000 to 8,000 pounds and live an average of 40 years in the wild. Limbs are modified into paddles In the paddle, the entire limb skeleton is enclosed by skin. In whales, forelimbs are modified into fish fin-like structure, called flippers. Beluga whales are also known as "sea canaries," and are one of the most the most vocal of all whales. eat bottom invertebrates Flippers Wings are modified into paddle-like flippers. They spend the majority of their time in the water. Whalebones include the Californian gray whale, rorquals or fin whales, blue whales and the Greenland right whale. A recent whale flipper necropsy on a Sowerby's beaked whale shows that inherited bone structure in a pretty gory way. The bones are flattened and broadened, with the joint of the elbow and wrist almost fused. The blowholes are connected directly to the lungs, so the whale can take a mouthful of water and breathe at the same time. 26 2021 . Hindlimbs absent. . (2) Limbs 2 pairs, pentadactyle, each with 5 or fewer digits. Whales today do not have feet, so of course they don't have hooves. hydrodynamic body A vaquita is a small-sized porpoise species that belongs to Genus Phocoena, Family Phocoenidae, and is found in the Gulf of California, Gulf of California, Mexico, and other parts of the ocean. If not, then you are in the right place to know them. The whale's surprising dexterity is due primarily to its non-conventional flippers, which have large, irregular looking bumps called tubercles across their leading edges. Tail modified as broad horizontal fluke. They can stay underwater for up to six minutes. 3. Both fore and hind flippers are used for turning. Manatees have 3 to 4 nails that grow on each of their front flippers. Cetaceans include all whales, dolphins and porpoises. Large rounded tubercles along the leading edge of the flipper are morphological structures that are unique in . [3], For all species of aquatic vertebrates, swimming performance depends upon the animal's control surfaces, which include flippers, flukes and fins. Tetrapod limbs which have evolved into fin-like structures are usually (but not always) called "flippers" rather than fins. The beluga, or white whale, is one of the smallest species of whale. A thick layer of blubber beneath their skin helps to conserve heat. They are the rarest of all porpoises. small ears and long necks The hind flippers are reduced in size as a result they have a streamlined that causes the least resistance while swimming through the water and due to the small size of hind flippers, they cant able to walk like other seals because they are unable to rotate hind flippers forward to walk. They have all the skeletal elements of the forelimbs of terrestrial mammals, but they're foreshortened and modified into paddle-shaped appendages. Evolution. No claws, no hind limbs and no external ears. whales, dolphins, and porpoises (Order Cetacea), all aquatic and almost all marine, evolved some 40-50 million years ago (Ma) from terrestrial tetrapod ancestors during some 10- 12 million years of the Eocene epoch. seasonal migrations from feeding to breeding grounds (long distances), internal copulation Solution: Whales are large marine mammals well adapted for aquatic life. anterior flippers are covered in hair and have nails- can only move forward and backwards What is the mass percent of water in this compound? both parents raise a single chick, heavy beak with tube like nostrils and their tail is enlarged and flattened horizontally to form a fluke or paddle. Their wings are modified into paddle like flippers. produce few, but well cared for young [5], The foreflippers used by the pinnipeds act as oscillatory hydrofoils. no hair on the underside of flippers Define an array named peopletypes that can store a maximum of 50 integer values entered at the keyboard. Expert solutions . (3) Exoskeleton includes lifeless, horny, epidermal hairs, spines, scales, claws, nails, hoofs, horns, bony dermal plates, etc. Follow along as we learn more about animals with flippers. mammary slit to remain streamline Didemnum. Forelimbs are modified into broad paddle-like flippers while posterior limbs are absent. Gray whales make one of the longest migrations of any mammal--10,000 miles round trip. Nostrils lie on top of head. Fur seals flippers are long and flexible. (1) Hair-clad, mostly terrestrial, air-breathing, warm blooded, viviparous, tetrapod vertebrates. (2) Body fusiform or spindle shaped. [9] Hyperphalangy is an increase in the number of phalanges beyond the plesiomorphic mammal condition of three phalanges-per-digit. Subjects. [6], Marine mammals have evolved several times, developing similar flippers. This makes them spend most of their time underwater. In vulputate pharetra nisi nec convallis. (2) Tail divided in two broad horizontal fleshy flukes with a notch, used in propulsion. Habitat eyes small, broad fan-like ears, huge trunk, thick pillar like legs and small tail. Some have fins, some have flippers, and some have both. Docile dugongs are long-lived in the wild, with an average life span up to 70 years. 3. [9], Sea turtles evolved in the Cretaceous. Their front limbs have been modified into broad flippers. The 13 species of sea lions are divided into two groups, sea lions and fur seals. Analia Giorgetti, who was out on the water on her birthday, says it was "privilege . However, no claws are present in any flippers including fore flippers and hind flippers. pectoral limbs modified into broad paddle-like flippers. 3. cricket. Introduced intentionally and accidentally to North America, the nutria or coypus is native to Central and South America. In cetaceans, they are primarily used for control while the fluke is used for propulsion. Fin whales also have a grayish white chevron-shaped mark on their backs. commercial and recreational fisheries, oil and They have broad, paddle-like flippers and notched tails. Mammal: Type # 1. dor noun. can exhale and inhale very quickly Thank you for visiting! What is the basis for the ordering of the elements in the activity series? The bones are flattened and broadened, with the joint of the elbow and wrist almost fused. gray whales stir up sediments and take a large mouth full of mud to get bottom invertebrates, deep diving great whale; eat squid and coat the beak with waxy coating to pass it- floats to the surface (ambergris) and is used in perfume though now it can be created synthetically, oppertunists- eat seals, penguins, fish Surprisingly, It can achieve a speed of about 22 mph underwater while propelling itself through all four flippers. probe or pick up food items from the surface triangular dorsal fins With webbed feet, they could swim; with long limbs, they could move about on shore. All four limbs are modified into paddle-like flippers, and the long tail has a fluke at the end. Humpback whales live in all of the worlds oceans. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Usage of the terms "fin" and "flipper" is sometimes inconsistent, even in the scientific literature. Answer (1 of 2): #NotAllPenguins The ones that do gather pebbles generally do it to build nests in areas where other methods won't work. mostly viviparous- few exceptions very playful and social, hydrodynamic streamline bodies Frequenting the warm coastal waters of the western Pacific, Indian Ocean and Red Sea, dugongs are often observed alone or in pairs, and sometimes in herds of more than 100. once born calf immediately swims to surface for air outer ear is not connected to the inner ear Home; Evolution 101. Tylosauurs was hard to handle since it would eat anything that would enter its water. This marine mammal is a baleen whale, and all baleen whales have two blowholes. (spermaceti organ- looks like sperm, huge in the sperm whale- where it gets its name; sperm whales can emit a sonic blast that can stun/ kill . But food was abundant in the seas. As for their front legs, they lost their webbed toes and those dainty hooves, and became so thick and stumpy that they were no longer legs, but paddle-like flippers. Evolved from a 4-limbed terrestrial ancestor; Adult has vestiges of pelvic girdle. [10] This trait is characteristic of secondarily aquatic vertebrates with flippers. By Oliane and luis. (2) Limbs 2 pairs, pentadactyle, each with 5 or fewer digits. Flipper noun identified characters related to the pectoral girdle and forelimb that are related to the modification of sea turtle arms and hands into flippers. Calves are 5 feet long and weigh 170 pounds. spend months-years at open sea NOAA Fisheries is dedicated to the conservation of humpback whales. Sed quis, Copyright Sports Nutrition di Fabrizio Paoletti - P.IVA 04784710487 - Tutti i diritti riservati. Yellow-eyed penguins, Mackerel sharks, and Bottlenose have slight different functions of organ systems of modification of swimming. Captions 2. Muskrats are good swimmers and can stay underwater up to 17 minutes, preferring to live in 4 to 6 feet of water. The walrus is a close relative of sea lions and seals. Males have larger bills and white cheeks while females often have gray colored cheeks. No claws, no hind limbs and no external ears. Accetta luso dei cookie per continuare la navigazione. They also flap their flippers for mating rituals during mating season. 2. ability to turn the hind flippers forward to walk on land 3. smaller than phocids 4. shallow divers preying on fast fish Two Sub Families of Otariidae Otariinae (sea lions) and Arctocephalinae (fur seals) Odobenidae Synapomorphies Family Odobenidae (walruses) Monophyletic group characterized by: It is also known as Tunicate because the body of an adult is enclosed within a tunic made up of cellulose -like substance known as tunicin. A beluga whale's pectoral flipper contains five digits much like the fingers on a human . Walruses spend much of their time on land, but they are graceful in water. 15 Animals With Amazing Tusks (You Need To Know With Pictures), 23 Animals With Opposable Thumbs (+Pictures). only marine mammals that are strict herbivores (eat 10% of their body weight each day), largest group of marine mammals (numbers, and body size) Posted by October 30, 2021 wellington phoenix players salary on in whales are modified into broad paddle like flippers October 30, 2021 wellington phoenix players salary on in whales are modified into broad paddle like flippers Whales have streamlined bodies tapering toward the horizontal tail that distinguishes them from fish. single nostril They are some of the smallest penguins in the world. Some flippers are very efficient hydrofoils, analogous to wings (airfoils), used to propel and maneuver through the water with great speed and maneuverability (see Foil). Whales lack back limbs and external ears. There is widespread convergence at the gene level. A leatherback sea turtle, also known as lute turtle, leathery turtle, is the largest currently living turtle that belongs to Genus Dermochelys, Family Dermochelyidae, and is found in all oceans except for the polar region. Each flipper is covered with short, scale-like feathers. carnivores- spend 75% of their lives in water The rostrum is dimpled and bumpy. The Amazon river dolphin is also called a pink river dolphin. no nails Their name literally translates to dolphin without a fin but despite lacking a dorsal fin, beluga whales still have flippers. ~3% of birds worldwide, most highly adapted bird for the marine environment galaxy s22 ultra s view flip cover support@missionbadlaav.com; withings account already exists Menu. whale - WordReference English dictionary, questions, discussion and forums. the beluga. Various bone joints of the limbs lose their mobility and the entire structure acts as a single unit. In penguins, wings have been modified into flippers and feathers into a waterproof covering. large eye spot to make them seem more fierce? These initial traits evolved only once among chelonioids, and the bauplan was refined through a secondary process of specialization. Thus, the front limbs became modified as paddle-shaped flippers, the bones of which are still reminiscent of jointed limbs and digits, but the hind limbs were lost . Their four limbs give them good mobility on land. Galapagos penguins are the only penguin that lives north of the Equator. A detailed guide of everything you want and need to know about fish. tissue are able to tolerate high levels of lactic acid 4. tails and flukes that move up and down, break surface or jump into the air homeotherms Animals with flippers include penguins (whose flippers are also called wings ), cetaceans (e.g. They are massive, reaching over 50 feet in length and weighing in at over 40 metric tons. The thoracic (rib) cage is well developed, and the sternum bears a pronounced keel for the attachment of the pectoral muscles, which move the flippers. These marine mammals have a prominent beak-like rostrum (snout), long front flippers, and large tail flukes. (3) Fins both median and paired, all supported by fin rays. The female' s dorsal fin is falcate while the male' s . Forelimbs modified into paddle-like flippers. Pectoral flippers are a whale's forelimbs. no external ears Found along the coasts and estuaries of Florida, Central America and the West Indies, the massive, slow-moving North American manatee is one of three species of manatee. [11], Cetaceans are the sole mammals to have evolved hyperphalangy. Mammals; fore limbs modified into flippers; fluke; blowhole; two suborders: odontocetes and mysticetes; whales, dolphins, porpoises Flippers are one of the principal control surfaces of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) due to their position in front of the center of mass, and their mobility which provides three degrees of freedom. Leatherback front flippers can measure up to almost 9 feet. Using criteria based on velocity and the minimum radius of turns, pinnipeds' maneuverability is superior to cetaceans but inferior to many fish. a Dugongs have tail flukes with pointed projections at the tips , much like a whale or dolphin , but with a somewhat concave trailing edge . may live inland and only visit the shore to feed while the prominent, large, round, and flat-shaped tail is used for swimming. They are closely related to manatees, and they never leave the water. Empower Her. D. Pectoral flippers. fore-limbs and hind flippers can be pushed under them and used to walk on land Blue whales, like most marine mammals, can be elusive, and sometimes appear with little warning. polyphyletic- multiple lineages Whales lack back limbs and external ears. Wildlife Informer is reader-supported. To find . Their cruising speed speed in water is about 6 miles per hour. Tylosauurs was hard to handle since it would eat anything that would enter its water. D. Pectoral flippers. Its flippers are grey-whitish in color and are one-third in size in relation to their body length, with knobs on the edges. Pinnipeds are aquatic mammals with all flour limbs modified into flippers. paddle-like, and slightly upcurled at the tips. The Answer Is Evolutionary", "Lift and drag performance of odontocete cetacean flippers", "Flippers provide lift, reduce drag: Humpback Whale", "Turning maneuvers in Steller sea lions (Eumatopias jubatus)", "Hundreds of Genes Experienced Convergent Shifts in Selective Pressure in Marine Mammals", "Convergent evolution of marine mammals is associated with distinct substitutions in common genes", "Evolution of hyperphalangy and digit reduction in the cetacean manus", "Review and experimental evaluation of the embryonic development and evolutionary history of flipper development and hyperphalangy in dolphins (Cetacea: Mammalia)", "Perspectives on hyperphalangy: patterns and processes", "Anatomy of Rhinochelys pulchriceps (Protostegidae) and marine adaptation during the early evolution of chelonioids", "Limb-use by foraging marine turtles, an evolutionary perspective", "Sea turtles use flippers to manipulate food", Tradeoffs for locomotion in air and water, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Flipper_(anatomy)&oldid=1107924020, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from June 2008, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, reduction of mobility between individual flipper elements, This page was last edited on 1 September 2022, at 15:48. Menu. Tail divided in two broad horizontal fleshy flukes with a notch, used in propulsion. Baleen whales with accordion-like pleats for expansion of throat. What Is the Difference Between a Sailfish & a Swordfish? Most are cold-blooded, though some (such as some species of tuna and Elephant seals sort of scoot their bodies outside of the water. Their flippers are short, round and pointed. The combination of flippers, flexible neck and tail fin helps them to attain a speed of about 16 mph for short distances while pulling their body weights between 1,000-1,500 kg. > LONGSIIIFS LlGIlTliOUSE. Humpback whales are a favorite of whale watchersthey are often active, jumping out of the water and slapping the surface with their pectoral fins or tails. These semiaquatic carnivores have a streamlined shape, flippers and webbed feet. Animal Triangle is a website where we publish articles from wild animals to animals fun facts. myoglobin in muscles- higher affinity for oxygen "The Living World of Animals"; The Reader's Digest Association. Mammals; fore limbs modified into flippers; fluke; blowhole; two suborders: odontocetes and mysticetes; whales, dolphins, porpoises Within ten million years, whales were fully aquatic. Skin is smooth with hairs. Our scientists use a variety of innovative techniques to study, protect, and disentangle humpback whales. . Interestingly, Its front flippers are used for steering through the water. If any of the genes are missing, if they are misread, read out of sequence, or altered in any way, the cell or organism may dramatically change. A thick layer of blubber beneath their skin helps to conserve heat. Archelon had a wide, flattened shell, paddle-like legs, a long, narrow head, weak jaws, and a short, pointed tail. Walruses live up to 40 years in the wild. They use their powerful flippers like wings to propel through the water. Enter a series of 1s, 2s, 3s, and 4s into the array to represent people at a local school function; 1 represents an infant, 2 represents a child, 3 represents a teenager, and 4 represents an adult. 3. 1. No claws, no hind limbs and no external ears. Cetacea, "flipper footed" Interestingly, The combination of flippers, flukes, and a deep notched tail helps them to attain a speed of about 10 kmph. ( . Whales Whales have streamlined bodies tapering toward the horizontal tail that distinguishes them from fish. In this article, we are going to look at animals with flippers. gas exploration, disease, and other types of Average weight and length of an adult ranges between human disturbance such as underwater 1100-2500 lbs.