Whale blowholes compared to the nasal orifices in their skulls:
No one in the world has even tried to answer this yet!
What are the relative positionings of the actual surface blowhole of whales when compared to the specific location of the nasal orifice(s) in the bone of the skull.
The sperm whale has an interesting anomaly in that its skull has a nasal skull hole in front of the eyes ( similar to the extinct aetiocetus ) leading to a blow hole right at the front of its head (muzzle).
Why did its nasal skull hole not move back to the front of its skull in line with its surface blow hole which presumably having moved back ancestrally, then moved forward as the sperm oil and huge melon structures evolved.
I need a clear diagram showing the position of the nasal orifice in the skulls of different modern whales and if poss the aetiocetus and other protowhales.
Simply cannot find this anywhere in details showing exactly the nasal skull holes compared to the eyes.

I consulted a friend of mine about your question, and this is what I got :)

Quote:

---

Hello Jerry. Sorry its been a while. I've been very busy.

That is a tough question. I assume it was due to their special ability. They are deep diver's, because they can hold their breath for over an hour, and that is where most of their favourite food lies.

Because there is no light in the depths, the only way to locate their prey, is via a their special ability, which is in fact making a clicking sort of noise. Not like dolphins. It is a unique clicking noise made in their nasal passage of which is the loudest sound that can be made by any living animal. If Sperm whales lived on land, the sound they make is in fact louder than a Thunder strike. If a sperm whale "clicks" at you, you may as well have been kicked in the stomach by a horse.

This clicking noise is made so powerful, because it moves in almost a directly straight line. Almost like a laser pointer. Unlike a dolphin which can use its echo abilities to scan the entire area around it. If the force of the clicks is to move in a straight line, directly in front of them. The nasal passage must be located at the tip of their nose.

This is a diagram showing where the clicks originate from, and which path they take.

http://www.p1cture.it/images/0f9b3gfd76b49b5b43e2.png

The dark blue shaded area is where the clicks erupt from. They travel back wards through the nasal passage, and loop around to where the shock waves travel through the muscle above the mouth, and pass through the skin.

I suppose it was a useful evolution. The whales with a more frontal positioned nasal passage where much more accurate hunters. The "primitive" sperm whales died out, to leave the ones we see today.

If anything dosen't make sense, give me a buzz.

---

I hope that will be okay for you :)

Well done. Yet again.

Tut