Editing Cetacea (section)

=== Echolocation ===
[[Odontoceti]] are generally capable of [[Animal echolocation|echolocation]].<ref name="emm">{{cite book |editor1-last=Perrin |editor1-first=William F. |editor2-last=Wursig |editor2-first=Bernd |editor3-last=[[Hans Thewissen|Thewissen]]|editor3-first=J. G. M. |title=Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals |last=Hooker |first=Sascha K. |edition=2 |publisher=Academic Press |page=1176 |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-12-373553-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2rkHQpToi9sC&q=Encyclopedia%20of%20Marine%20Mammals&pg=PP1}}</ref> They can discern the size, shape, surface characteristics, distance and movement of an object. They can search for, chase and catch fast-swimming prey in total darkness. Most Odontoceti can distinguish between prey and nonprey (such as humans or boats); captive Odontoceti can be trained to distinguish between, for example, balls of different sizes or shapes. Echolocation clicks also contain characteristic details unique to each animal, which may suggest that toothed whales can discern between their own click and that of others.<ref name="Obaldia2015Estimating">{{cite journal |author = de Obaldia, C., Simkus, G. & and Zölzer, U. | title = Estimating the number of sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) individuals based on grouping of corresponding clicks
 | journal = 41. Jahrestagung für Akustik (DAGA 2015), Nürnberg | year = 2015 | doi = 10.13140/RG.2.1.3764.9765 | url= https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277009691 }}</ref>

While differences in ear structure associated with echolocating abilities are found amongst Cetacea, cranial asymmetry has also been found to be a factor in the ability to produce sounds used in echolocation. Mysticeti, who don't have the ability to echolocate, possess general symmetry of the skull and facial region, while Odontoceti display a nasofacial asymmetry that is linked to their echolocating abilities.<ref name="auto">{{Cite journal |last1=Coombs |first1=Ellen J. |last2=Clavel |first2=Julien |last3=Park |first3=Travis |last4=Churchill |first4=Morgan |last5=Goswami |first5=Anjali |date=2020-07-10 |title=Wonky whales: the evolution of cranial asymmetry in cetaceans |journal=BMC Biology |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=86 |doi=10.1186/s12915-020-00805-4 |doi-access=free |issn=1741-7007 |pmc=7350770 |pmid=32646447}}</ref> Differences in the level of asymmetry also seem to correlate with differences in the types of sounds produced.<ref name="auto"/>

Mysticeti have exceptionally thin, wide basilar membranes in their [[cochlea]]e without stiffening agents, making their ears adapted for processing low to [[infrasonic]] frequencies.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Ketten | first = Darlene R. | title = Structure and function in whale ears | year = 1997 | journal = The International Journal of Animal Sound and Its Recording | volume = 8 | issue = 1–2 | pages = 103–135 | url = http://csi.whoi.edu/sites/default/files/literature/Full%20Text_29.pdf | doi = 10.1080/09524622.1997.9753356 | bibcode = 1997Bioac...8..103K | access-date = 2013-12-21 | archive-date = 2014-08-01 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140801161859/http://csi.whoi.edu/sites/default/files/literature/Full%20Text_29.pdf | url-status = dead }}</ref>