Cetacea
The order Cetacea are marine mammals that live in oceans, seas and even a few rivers around the world. Whales, dolphins and porpoises are part of this group. These common names refer to size: whales are the largest, porpoises the smallest. How and what they eat is a better guide to their relationships. The study of cetaceans is called cetology.
| Cetacea Temporal range: Early Eocene – Present | |
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| Humpback whale breaching | |
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| Infraorder: | Cetacea |
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Some Cetacea: 1- Bowhead whale; 2- Orca; 3- Right whale; 4- Sperm whale; 5- Narwhal; 6- Blue whale; 7- Rorqual; 8- Beluga
Cetaceans are ocean creatures without toes, but are classified in the related order Cetartiodactyla because their ancestors were even toed ungulates.
Taxonomy
- Order Cetacea
- Suborder Mysticeti: Baleen whales
- Family Balaenidae: Right whales and Bowhead whale
- Bowhead whale, Balaena mysticetus
- Genus Eubalaena: Right whales
- North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis
- North Pacific right whale, Eubalaena japonica
- Southern right whale, Eubalaena australis
- Family Balaenopteridae: Rorquals
- Genus Balaenoptera
- Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
- Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus
- Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
- Genus Balaenoptera
- Family Eschrichtiidae
- Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
- Family Neobalaenidae
- Pygmy right whale, Caperea marginata
- Family Balaenidae: Right whales and Bowhead whale
- Suborder Odontoceti: Toothed whales
- Family Delphinidae: Oceanic dolphins
- Family Phocoenidae: Porpoises
- Family Monodontidae
- Family Physeteridae: Sperm whales
- Sperm whale, Physeter catodon
- Dwarf sperm whale, Kogia sima
- Pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps
- Family Ziphiidae
- Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphia cavirostris
- Superfamily Platanistoidea: River dolphins
- Suborder Mysticeti: Baleen whales
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