2009 07-13 SB Channel
Large patches of krill (Thysanoessa spinifera) on the surface of the Santa Barbara Channel are shown here. Notice the spashes, or better "squirts," which are from squid (Loligo opalescens) attacking the krill from below. Krill can also be seen jumping out of the water to escape the ambushing squid. Occassionally, a California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) would zoom through and eat the squid.
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Sequence 1 of 2: A huge sideways lunge of a Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaengliae) takes in over a thousand gallons of seawater full of krill. Note the upper jaw (top) with its baleen plates, and the lower jaw (bottom) with pleats expanded.
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Sequence 2 of 2: A huge sideways lunge of a Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaengliae) takes in over a thousand gallons of seawater full of krill. Note the lower jaw shown here with pleats expanded and the animal is starting to roll over on its right side.
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Image 1 of 4: Another huge sideways lunge of a Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaengliae) is happening under a big patch of krill on the surface. In this shot, the krill are the orange dots, and they are leaping out of the water to escape their demise.
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Image 2 of 4: Sideways lunge of a Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaengliae) surrounds a patch of krill (orange dots). The upper jaw is to the lower right, and the lower jaw is to the upper left, in other words the animal is on its right side in this photo.
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Image 3 of 4: Sideways lunge of a Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaengliae) surrounds a patch of krill (orange dots). The upper jaw is to the lower right, and the tightly packed baleen plates can be seen clearly.
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Image 4 of 4: Sideways lunge of a Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaengliae) with baleen and lots of krill (orange dots inside the mouth) visible.
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This massive lunge of a Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaengliae) sends out a huge wave of water as the beast closes its mouth on a ball of krill. To the left edge, the greatly expanded ventral pleats can be seen.
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Image 1 of 2: Krill going wild and leaping into the air. They look like reddish bits of popcorn as a Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaengliae) just below them starts to have lunch.
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Image 2 of 2: Krill going wild and leaping into the air. The Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaengliae) performs a sidways lunge and takes in millions of thes tiny crustaceans.
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A 4-part image sequence, part 1: A hungry Western Gull (Larus occidentalis) is attracted to the red "popcorn" that has suddenly appeared on the surface. Little did it know that a Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaengliae) was coming up from the depths to consume the red ball of krill.
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Image 2 of 4: A Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaengliae) lunges forward and takes in a big patch of krill (red dots).
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