Editing Whale (section)

===Anatomy===
[[File:Baleen parts.png|thumb|right|Features of a [[blue whale]]]]
[[File:Sperm whale skeleton labelled.jpg|thumb|Features of a [[sperm whale]] skeleton]]
Whales have torpedo-shaped bodies with non-flexible necks, limbs modified into flippers, non-existent external ear flaps, a large tail fin, and flat heads (with the exception of [[Monodontidae|monodontids]] and [[Ziphiidae|ziphiids]]). Whale skulls have small eye orbits, long snouts (with the exception of monodontids and ziphiids) and eyes placed on the sides of its head. Whales range in size from the {{convert|2.6|m|ft|adj=on}} and {{convert|135|kg|lbs|adj=on}} dwarf sperm whale to the {{convert|34|m|ft|adj=on}} and {{convert|190|MT|ST|adj=on}} blue whale. Overall, they tend to dwarf other cetartiodactyls; the blue whale is the largest creature on Earth. Several species have female-biased sexual dimorphism, with the females being larger than the males. One exception is with the sperm whale, which has males larger than the females.{{sfn|Reidenberg|2012|pp=510–511}}{{sfn|Ralls|Mesnick|1984|pp=1005–1011}}

Odontocetes, such as the sperm whale, possess teeth with [[cementum]] cells overlying [[dentine]] cells. Unlike human teeth, which are composed mostly of [[Tooth enamel|enamel]] on the portion of the tooth outside of the gum, whale teeth have cementum outside the gum. Only in larger whales, where the cementum is worn away on the tip of the tooth, does enamel show. Mysticetes have large [[whalebone]], as opposed to teeth, made of keratin. Mysticetes have two blowholes, whereas Odontocetes contain only one.{{sfn|Reidenberg|2012|pp=509–510}}

Breathing involves expelling stale air from the [[blowhole (anatomy)|blowhole]], forming an upward, steamy spout, followed by inhaling fresh air into the lungs; a humpback whale's lungs can hold about {{convert|5,000|L|usgal}} of air. Spout shapes differ among species, which facilitates identification.{{sfn|Reidenberg|2012|pp=507–508}}{{sfn|Scholander|1940}}

All whales have a thick layer of [[blubber]]. In species that live near the poles, the blubber can be as thick as {{convert|11|in|cm}}. This blubber can help with buoyancy (which is helpful for a 100-ton whale), protection to some extent as predators would have a hard time getting through a thick layer of fat, and energy for fasting when migrating to the equator; the primary usage for blubber is insulation from the harsh climate. It can constitute as much as 50% of a whale's body weight. Calves are born with only a thin layer of blubber, but some species compensate for this with thick lanugos.{{sfn|Klinowska|1991|p=5}}{{sfn|Reidenberg|2012|p=510}}

Whales have a two- to three-chambered stomach that is similar in structure to those of terrestrial carnivores. Mysticetes contain a [[proventriculus]] as an extension of the [[oesophagus]]; this contains stones that grind up food. They also have [[Fundic stomach|fundic]] and [[Pyloric stomach|pyloric]] chambers.{{sfn|Stevens|Hume|1995|p=11}}