Skip to main content
Mysticeti

Mysticeti

9.9
Large marine mammals that use baleen plates to filter food from water
  • noun
  • /ˌmɪstɪˈsiːtaɪ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : misticetos
  • Did you know that Mysticeti whales have baleen plates?

Examples

  • The Mysticeti suborder includes species such as the blue whale and the humpback whale.

  • Researchers study the migratory patterns of Mysticeti to better understand ocean ecosystems.

  • Unlike their toothed relatives, Mysticeti possess baleen plates for filter feeding.

  • The Mysticeti suborder includes some of the largest animals on Earth.

  • Mysticeti are among the largest animals on the planet, with some species like the blue whale growing to over 100 feet long.

  • Many marine scientists study Mysticeti to learn more about their unique feeding habits and migration patterns.

  • In the oceans, Mysticeti filter-feed by taking in water and straining out small organisms using their baleen plates.

Surface Forms

Mysticeti singular
Mysticetis plural

Etymology

Mysticeti comes from Greek parts mystax meaning 'moustache' and cetus meaning 'whale'. The name refers to the whale's baleen plates that hang like a big 'moustache', so Mysticeti are the whales that filter food with baleen instead of having teeth.