Biology
Morphological Adaptations for Filter Feeding in Baleen Whales
Quick fact
A blue whale can hold up to 90 tonnes of water in its mouth at once—more than its own body weight—and then push it out through baleen plates, trapping up to 10 kilograms of krill in a single gulp.
Why this is interesting
You've probably seen a blue whale's huge mouth, but did you know it can't even swallow a grapefruit? Instead of teeth, it uses giant combs made of fingernail material to strain its food from the sea.