Skull and buccal cavity allometry increase mass-specific engulfment capacity in fin whales

• Published in: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
• Main Authors: Goldbogen, Jeremy A., Potvin, Jean, Shadwick, Robert E.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: The Royal Society 2009
• Subjects: Rorqual; Fin whale
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2009.1680; https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rspb.2009.1680; https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rspb.2009.1680

Rorqual whales (Balaenopteridae) represent not only some of the largest animals of all time, but also exhibit a wide range in intraspecific and interspecific body size. Balaenopterids are characterized by their extreme lunge-feeding behaviour, a dynamic process that involves the engulfment of a larg...