whalebone
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.
Citation Information
Article Title:
whalebone
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
30 October 2018
Access Date:
February 22, 2025