Quick Facts
- Also called:
- baleen
- Related Topics:
- cetacean
- whaling
- baleen whale
- Keratin
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whalebone
anatomy
Also known as: baleen, baleen plate
whalebone, series of stiff keratinous plates in the mouths of baleen whales, used to strain copepods and other zooplankton, fishes, and krill from seawater. Whalebone was once important in the production of corsets, brushes, and other goods.
This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.
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