The single blowhole of a bottlenose dolphin just before going under again The V-shaped double blowhole of a gray whale. In cetology, the study of whales and other cetaceans, a blowhole is the hole (or spiracle) at the top of the head through which the animal breathes air.

Aug 16, 2021 · New research is shedding light on how the nasal passage of dolphins and whales shifts during embryonic development from emerging at the tip of the snout to emerging at the top of the head as a...

Aug 5, 2021 · Today’s cetaceans also sport a unique type of nasal passage: It rises at an angle relative to the roof of the mouth — or palate — and exits at the top of the head as a blowhole. This is an apt adaptation for an air-breathing animal at home in the water.

Aug 5, 2021 · Today's cetaceans also sport a unique type of nasal passage: It rises at an angle relative to the roof of the mouth—or palate—and exits at the top of the head as a blowhole. This is an apt...

Jan 2, 2025 · Positioned on the top of a dolphin’s head, the blowhole is not just a simple opening but a sophisticated organ that functions similarly to human nostrils. However, unlike humans, dolphins consciously control their breathing.

Today's cetaceans also sport a unique type of nasal passage: It rises at an angle relative to the roof of the mouth—or palate—and exits at the top of the head as a blowhole. This is an apt...

Aug 20, 2023 · It’s true that dolphins have blowholes. Cetaceans, which include dolphins, porpoises, and whales, have modified nostrils called blowholes that let them breathe while they swim. It is situated behind the eyes at the top of the head. Baleen whales have two blowholes, whereas dolphins only have one.

Aug 20, 2023 · Blowholes, the names for their nostrils, are placed on top of the head, making this narrow opening their only way of breathing underwater. In the following guide, we examine the structure and function of dolphin blowholes and show their important part in the life of this unusual marine mammal.

Mar 18, 2008 · In modern dolphins, on the other hand, it is located on the top of the head, above the eyes. It is called the blowhole. In development, the nose opening shifts from the tip of the snout (arrow in left embryo) to its position on top of the head.

Located on the top of a dolphin’s head, the blowhole is used for breathing. It is equivalent to nostrils in humans and opens when the dolphin surfaces to take a breath. Dolphins must come to the surface regularly to breathe, as they cannot breathe underwater.