Cetaceans as Exemplars of Evolution and Evolutionary Ecology: A Glossary

Werth, Alexander J.

doi:10.3390/oceans1020006

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 184 publications

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“…From flukes and flippers to blowholes and baleen, cetaceans are truly atypical mammals (Pyenson, 2019). Their remarkable anatomical and physiological adaptations include vascular retia and elevated myoglobin (Reynolds & Rommel, 1999), blubber up to 50 cm thick (Werth, 2020), a heart that beats as few as two times per minute (Goldbogen et al, 2019), and elaborate nasal passages capable of producing echolocatory sonic pulses ranging from 0.2 Hz to 150 kHz (Geisler et al, 2014; Mourlam & Orliac, 2017; Pilleri, 1990).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cetacean tongue mobility and function: A comparative review

Werth

Crompton

2023

Journal of Anatomy

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Cetaceans are atypical mammals whose tongues often depart from the typical (basal) mammalian condition in structure, mobility, and function. Their tongues are dynamic, innovative multipurpose tools that include the world's largest muscular structures. These changes reflect the evolutionary history of cetaceans' secondary adaptation to a fully aquatic environment. Cetacean tongues play no role in mastication and apparently a greatly reduced role in nursing (mainly channeling milk ingestion), two hallmarks of Mammalia. Cetacean tongues are not involved in drinking, breathing, vocalizing, and other non‐feeding activities; they evidently play no or little role in taste reception. Although cetaceans do not masticate or otherwise process food, their tongues retain key roles in food ingestion, transport, securing/positioning, and swallowing, though by different means than most mammals. This is due to cetaceans' aquatic habitat, which in turn altered their anatomy (e.g., the intranarial larynx and consequent soft palate alteration). Odontocetes ingest prey via raptorial biting or tongue‐generated suction. Odontocete tongues expel water and possibly uncover benthic prey via hydraulic jetting. Mysticete tongues play crucial roles driving ram, suction, or lunge ingestion for filter feeding. The uniquely flaccid rorqual tongue, not a constant volume hydrostat (as in all other mammalian tongues), invaginates into a balloon‐like pouch to temporarily hold engulfed water. Mysticete tongues also create hydrodynamic flow regimes and hydraulic forces for baleen filtration, and possibly for cleaning baleen. Cetacean tongues lost or modified much of the mobility and function of generic mammal tongues, but took on noteworthy morphological changes by evolving to accomplish new tasks.

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