I only ask as I was watching Finding Nemo with my nephew, and the whale has a gigantic one. If they do, what would be the purpose, they certainly don't talk, so could it be something to do with the production of whale song?
2006-07-29 22:14:51 · 9 answers · asked by brendanconnal 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
Wikipedia says that the uvula is involved in the production of guttural, back-of-the-throat sounds (common in e.g. Welsh, Arabic and Hebrew), and also the clicks of several African languages. According to my dictionary, the uvula occurs only in humans and some other primates (but not all), so whales probably don't have them, sorry!
But they wouldn't need them for whalesong production, as a whale's oesophagus (food pipe) and trachea (wind pipe) are completely separate (if this were not so, drowning would be a real possibility every time a whale opened its mouth). A whale's nostrils are actually on the top of its head (i.e. the blowhole)!
From Wikipedia—Whalesong:
"Baleen whales do not have phonic lip structure. Instead they have a larynx that appears to play a role in sound production, but it lacks vocal chords and scientists remain uncertain as to the exact mechanism. The process, however, cannot be completely analogous to humans because whales do not have to exhale in order to produce sound. It is likely that they recycle air around the body for this purpose. Cranial sinuses may also be used to create the sounds, but again researchers are currently unclear how."
Well, that helps!
2006-08-01 05:26:55 · answer #1 · answered by tjs282 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your question intrigues me. Firstly I need to point out the grammatical error. You may say an hotel - with its consonent h - but you cannot say an uvula. Because Uvula SOUNDS as though it starts with the consonant Y, you have to ask "does a whale have A uvula? Or if you'd like to demonstrate that you know a little Latin you could ask "Do whales have uvulae?"
2006-07-30 10:03:45 · answer #2 · answered by zpom 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes they do, its used to produce clicks and songs. All animals talk, to each other at least. Usually out of our hearing range.
Also they are used as a gag relex of sorts. If they ate something they shoudn't it would trigger and keep them safe.
2006-08-01 22:55:37 · answer #3 · answered by Anne 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The creature roared again, opening its sharp-toothed jaws so wide you could see its uvula.
2006-07-30 05:20:33 · answer #4 · answered by d_lil_prince 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
honestly i don't know.....but you question caught my eye..and it made me wonder as well. So now you have me wondering as well..so Thanks..now i have to go find out out and do a search on the net looking for the answer......as if I didn't have anything else to do..lol I didn't but that's besides the point....boys and their cartoons....when will they grow up???????
2006-07-30 05:24:56 · answer #5 · answered by tamedthing 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What you mean like Tom Jones
2006-08-01 10:17:56 · answer #6 · answered by David H 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Whales can't talk???Next you will say mermaids don't exist..
2006-07-30 06:33:21 · answer #7 · answered by pig m 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they dont.....just for the cartoon purpose.
2006-07-30 06:41:23 · answer #8 · answered by Martita 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
why not //
2006-07-31 14:19:08 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋