Like all species of baleen whales, the Antarctic minke whale feeds on tiny creatures known as krill by filtering water through bristlelike keratin structures called baleen plates. In this way, baleen whales can eat up to 30 percent of their total mass per day. And while no one would call the Antarctic minke whale small—it can have a mass as high as 10,000 kg—it is one of the smaller baleen whales and is much smaller than the bowhead whale, which can weigh a whopping 66,000 kg and consume as much as 19,800 kg of krill per day.
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mediumWhich choice best states the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
A
It downplays the significance of the size difference between the Antarctic minke whale and the bowhead whale.
B
It illustrates the size of the Antarctic minke whale and establishes a point of contrast with the size of the bowhead whale.
C
It draws a distinction between the overall size of the Antarctic minke whale and the relatively small quantity of krill it can consume per day.
D
It emphasizes the quantity of krill needed to support both the Antarctic minke whale and the bowhead whale.