Whale Callosities and Whale Lice

The video explores the unique white patches on right whales, known as callosities, which are home to crustaceans called cyamids or whale lice. These lice, while not harmful, provide valuable information about whale health and history. The video also highlights the role of these lice in scientific research and concludes with a call to action for Brilliant's educational courses.

What are the white patches on right whales called?

• Blowholes

• Callosities

• Barnacles

• Scales

How do scientists use the unique patterns of callosities?

• To determine whale age

• To measure whale speed

• To identify individual whales

• To track whale migration

What type of organism are whale lice?

• True lice

• Bacteria

• Crustaceans

• Fungi

How do whale lice typically transfer between whales?

• Through water currents

• By swimming

• Through close contact

• By jumping

What is one proposed benefit of whale lice to their host?

• They clean the whale's skin

• They protect against predators

• They help locate food

• They improve swimming speed

What do the orange cyamids indicate about a whale?

• The whale is old

• The whale is healthy

• The whale is young or sick

• The whale is migrating

How do whale lice contribute to understanding whale species' history?

• By measuring their size

• Through genetic differences

• Through their diet

• By tracking their migration

What unusual discovery was made about a right whale calf?

• It had no callosities

• It was covered in barnacles

• It was raised by dolphins

• It had lice from humpback whales

What benefit do whale lice provide to researchers?

• They show whale age

• They indicate whale diet

• They help track whale speed

• They offer genetic information

What is one of the main focuses of Brilliant's courses?

• Astronomy

• Geology

• Marine biology

• Statistics fundamentals