Which term refers to baleen whales that filter feed?

• A. Odontoceti
• B. Cetacea
• C. Mysticeti
• D. Balaenidae

Answer: (C)

Baleen whales that filter feed belong to the suborder Mysticeti. They have baleen plates instead of teeth and feed by taking in large amounts of water and prey, then pushing the water out while the baleen traps small organisms like krill and small fish. This filtering approach, using baleen, is what defines Mysticeti and sets these whales apart from toothed whales.

To contrast, toothed whales belong to Odontoceti and hunt with teeth, often using echolocation to locate prey. The broader group Cetacea includes both Mysticeti and Odontoceti, so it’s not specific to filter-feeding. Balaenidae is a family within Mysticeti (including right whales), so it’s a more specific taxonomic group rather than the general term for baleen whales that filter feed.