Whales

Whales - the Mysticetes (baleen whales) are believed to have diverged from the Archaeoceti during the late Eocene, about 25-35 MYA. Baleen whales possess plates which are of the structure of hair which are used to sieve prey from the water during feeding and also have a paired blowhole instead of the single blowhole of the Odontocetes (toothed whales or dolphins). Baleen whales are divided into four families containing right whales (Balaenidae), pygmy right whales (Neobalaenidae), gray whales (Eschirichtidae) and rorquals (Balaenopteridae). All rorquals including the humpback whale have up to 100 throat grooves or pleats that reach from underneath the lower jaw to past the flippers. Mysticetes represent the largest animals on earth. Their main food source is krill that occurs in large abundance in the polar regions. For breeding and feeding baleen whales travel large distances often far away from the coastlines. However, some species like the humpback whales use coastal waters for their migration, breeding and socializing. There are six baleen whale species that could be seen off south-east Queensland waters, the humpback whales (, the blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), southern right whales (Eubalaena australis, fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis), dwarf minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata subspecies).