How do baleen whales stow their filter? A comparative biomechanical analysis of baleen bending
Author Posting. © Company of Biologists, 2018. This article is posted here by permission of Company of Biologists for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Experimental Biology 221 (2018): jeb189233, doi:10.1242/jeb.189233. Bowhead and right whale (...
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ftwhoas:oai:darchive.mblwhoilibrary.org:1912/10760 2023-05-15T15:37:15+02:00 How do baleen whales stow their filter? A comparative biomechanical analysis of baleen bending Werth, Alexander J. Rita, Diego Rosario, Michael V. Moore, Michael J. Sformo, Todd L. 2018-12-04 https://hdl.handle.net/1912/10760 en_US eng Company of Biologists https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.73rm81p https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.189233 Journal of Experimental Biology 221 (2018): jeb189233 https://hdl.handle.net/1912/10760 doi:10.1242/jeb.189233 Journal of Experimental Biology 221 (2018): jeb189233 doi:10.1242/jeb.189233 Cetacea Mysticete Jaw Keratin Filter feeding Morphology Flexibility Stiffness Article 2018 ftwhoas https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.189233 https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.73rm81p 2022-05-28T23:00:32Z Author Posting. © Company of Biologists, 2018. This article is posted here by permission of Company of Biologists for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Experimental Biology 221 (2018): jeb189233, doi:10.1242/jeb.189233. Bowhead and right whale (balaenid) baleen filtering plates, longer in vertical dimension (≥3–4 m) than the closed mouth, presumably bend during gape closure. This has not been observed in live whales, even with scrutiny of video-recorded feeding sequences. To determine what happens to the baleen during gape closure, we conducted an integrative, multifactorial study including materials testing, functional (flow tank and kinematic) testing and histological examination. We measured baleen bending properties along the dorsoventral length of plates and anteroposterior location within a rack of plates via mechanical (axial bending, composite flexure, compression and tension) tests of hydrated and air-dried tissue samples from balaenid and other whale baleen. Balaenid baleen is remarkably strong yet pliable, with ductile fringes, and low stiffness and high elasticity when wet; it likely bends in the closed mouth when not used for filtration. Calculation of flexural modulus from stress/strain experiments shows that the balaenid baleen is slightly more flexible where it emerges from the gums and at its ventral terminus, but kinematic analysis indicates plates bend evenly along their whole length. Fin and humpback whale baleen has similar material properties but less flexibility, with no dorsoventral variation. The internal horn tubes have greater external and hollow luminal diameter but lower density in the lateral relative to medial baleen of bowhead and fin whales, suggesting a greater capacity for lateral bending. Baleen bending has major consequences not only for feeding morphology and energetics but also for conservation given that entanglement in fishing gear is a leading cause of whale mortality. Funding for A.J.W. came from Hampden-Sydney ... Article in Journal/Newspaper baleen whales Humpback Whale Woods Hole Scientific Community: WHOAS (Woods Hole Open Access Server) Hampden ENVELOPE(-56.848,-56.848,49.550,49.550) Journal of Experimental Biology |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Woods Hole Scientific Community: WHOAS (Woods Hole Open Access Server) |
op_collection_id |
ftwhoas |
language |
English |
topic |
Cetacea Mysticete Jaw Keratin Filter feeding Morphology Flexibility Stiffness |
spellingShingle |
Cetacea Mysticete Jaw Keratin Filter feeding Morphology Flexibility Stiffness Werth, Alexander J. Rita, Diego Rosario, Michael V. Moore, Michael J. Sformo, Todd L. How do baleen whales stow their filter? A comparative biomechanical analysis of baleen bending |
topic_facet |
Cetacea Mysticete Jaw Keratin Filter feeding Morphology Flexibility Stiffness |
description |
Author Posting. © Company of Biologists, 2018. This article is posted here by permission of Company of Biologists for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Experimental Biology 221 (2018): jeb189233, doi:10.1242/jeb.189233. Bowhead and right whale (balaenid) baleen filtering plates, longer in vertical dimension (≥3–4 m) than the closed mouth, presumably bend during gape closure. This has not been observed in live whales, even with scrutiny of video-recorded feeding sequences. To determine what happens to the baleen during gape closure, we conducted an integrative, multifactorial study including materials testing, functional (flow tank and kinematic) testing and histological examination. We measured baleen bending properties along the dorsoventral length of plates and anteroposterior location within a rack of plates via mechanical (axial bending, composite flexure, compression and tension) tests of hydrated and air-dried tissue samples from balaenid and other whale baleen. Balaenid baleen is remarkably strong yet pliable, with ductile fringes, and low stiffness and high elasticity when wet; it likely bends in the closed mouth when not used for filtration. Calculation of flexural modulus from stress/strain experiments shows that the balaenid baleen is slightly more flexible where it emerges from the gums and at its ventral terminus, but kinematic analysis indicates plates bend evenly along their whole length. Fin and humpback whale baleen has similar material properties but less flexibility, with no dorsoventral variation. The internal horn tubes have greater external and hollow luminal diameter but lower density in the lateral relative to medial baleen of bowhead and fin whales, suggesting a greater capacity for lateral bending. Baleen bending has major consequences not only for feeding morphology and energetics but also for conservation given that entanglement in fishing gear is a leading cause of whale mortality. Funding for A.J.W. came from Hampden-Sydney ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Werth, Alexander J. Rita, Diego Rosario, Michael V. Moore, Michael J. Sformo, Todd L. |
author_facet |
Werth, Alexander J. Rita, Diego Rosario, Michael V. Moore, Michael J. Sformo, Todd L. |
author_sort |
Werth, Alexander J. |
title |
How do baleen whales stow their filter? A comparative biomechanical analysis of baleen bending |
title_short |
How do baleen whales stow their filter? A comparative biomechanical analysis of baleen bending |
title_full |
How do baleen whales stow their filter? A comparative biomechanical analysis of baleen bending |
title_fullStr |
How do baleen whales stow their filter? A comparative biomechanical analysis of baleen bending |
title_full_unstemmed |
How do baleen whales stow their filter? A comparative biomechanical analysis of baleen bending |
title_sort |
how do baleen whales stow their filter? a comparative biomechanical analysis of baleen bending |
publisher |
Company of Biologists |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/1912/10760 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-56.848,-56.848,49.550,49.550) |
geographic |
Hampden |
geographic_facet |
Hampden |
genre |
baleen whales Humpback Whale |
genre_facet |
baleen whales Humpback Whale |
op_source |
Journal of Experimental Biology 221 (2018): jeb189233 doi:10.1242/jeb.189233 |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.73rm81p https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.189233 Journal of Experimental Biology 221 (2018): jeb189233 https://hdl.handle.net/1912/10760 doi:10.1242/jeb.189233 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.189233 https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.73rm81p |
container_title |
Journal of Experimental Biology |
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1766367719636074496 |