Sentences with phrase «feeding mysticetes»

Thus, when the filter - feeding mysticetes (which includes the blue whale) began scooping krill from the water, they essentially excluded other lineages from this niche.

Not exact matches

Modern mysticetes have keratin fibers — called baleen — in place of teeth that allow them to trap and feed on tiny marine animals such as shrimp.

Many basilosaurids were probably active hunters, similar to modern orcas, with mouths that were suited for biting and attacking, but Mystacodon has a mouth more suited for sucking in smaller animals, leading the researchers to conclude that Mystacodon most likely represents an intermediate step between raptorial and filter feeding and between the ancient basilosaurids and modern mysticetes.

«For example, this early mysticete retains teeth, and from what we observed of its skull, we think that it displays an early specialization for suction feeding and maybe for bottom feeding.»