Cetacean Feeding and Foraging Strategies

These flashcards cover key concepts related to cetacean feeding strategies, mating behaviors, and reproductive adaptations.

Strand feeding

A foraging strategy used by bottlenose dolphins where they launch onto banks to drive prey into the air.

Mud plume feeding

A technique where dolphins beat their tails on the mud to create a visual barrier to coral fish, effective only in clear water.

Sponging

A foraging behavior where dolphins carry sponges on their rostrum for protection while foraging on the ocean floor.

Heterotrophs

Organisms that consume other organisms for energy; this includes most marine mammals which feed on higher trophic levels.

Sirenians

A group of marine mammals, including manatees and dugongs, which are herbivores that primarily feed on seagrass.

Heterodont dentition

A type of tooth structure where different types of teeth are used for various functions, common in marine mammals.

Lactation

The period during which a mother produces milk to feed her young, which is energetically costly for female marine mammals.

Polygyny

A mating system in which one male mates with multiple females while each female mates with only one male.

Allomaternal care

Care given to a calf by individuals that are not the biological mother, often seen in species with social structures.

K-selected species

Species that invest heavily in the upbringing of a few offspring, leading to longer gestation and maturation periods.

Monogamy

A mating strategy where one male mates with one female during a breeding season, which can lead to life-long pair bonds.

Sperm competition

A post-copulatory tactic where males compete to fertilize eggs inside the female reproductive tract.

Display Competition

Males compete for the attention of females through courtship displays, such as showing off physical attributes.

Terrestrial parturition

The act of giving birth on land, common in pinnipeds, leading to synchronized reproduction due to environmental factors.