What is the Difference Between Baleen and Toothed Whales?

The main difference between baleen and toothed whales lies in their feeding mechanisms and the structure of their mouths. Here are the key differences between the two:

1. Feeding Mechanism: Baleen whales have baleen plates or sheets in their mouths, which they use to sieve prey from seawater. Toothed whales, on the other hand, have teeth and actively hunt fish, squid, and other sea creatures.
2. Baleen: Baleen whales have baleen plates made from a material similar to human fingernails, which are strong, flexible, and feathered at the edges. These plates are used to filter small fish or zooplankton from the water.
3. Teeth: Toothed whales have teeth, varying in size and shape depending on the species. Some have as few as a single pair of teeth (beaked whales) to more than 40 pairs (sperm whales).
4. Blowholes: Baleen whales have two blowholes on top of their heads, while toothed whales have only one blowhole.
5. Size: Baleen whales are generally larger than toothed whales, with the blue whale being the largest living animal on Earth.
6. Species: There are 15 species of baleen whales and 77 species of toothed whales. Toothed whales include dolphins, porpoises, and large sperm and killer whales.
7. Echolocation: Toothed whales are capable of echolocation, a method of sensing surrounding objects with pulses of high-frequency sound. Baleen whales do not have this ability.

Comparative Table: Baleen vs Toothed Whales

Here is a table comparing the differences between baleen and toothed whales:

Baleen whales have baleen plates in their mouths to filter prey from seawater, while toothed whales have teeth to actively hunt fish, squid, and other sea creatures. Baleen whales have two nostrils that make up their blowhole, compared to toothed whales' single nostril. Baleen whales are generally larger than toothed whales and include the largest living animal on Earth, the blue whale.