Whales and Dolphins (Cetacea)

 

The Cetaceans encompass the Mysticeti (the baleen whales; 3 families; 6 genera and 11-15 species), and the Odontoceti (the toothed whales; 8 families, 33 genera, and 70-80 species). They are distributed throughout the world’s oceans. Some dolphins inhabit estuaries and big rivers, and several primitive species are confined to freshwater and estuarine habitats in the tropics. These are large animals, ranging in length and weight from 1 m and 20 kg in the smallest delphinids to 30-33 m and 150-170 tons in the largest rorquals. Cetaceans have streamlined bodies; the forelimbs are modified into flippers; two hindlimbs are vestigial; cartilaginous flukes at the end of their tails are used for propulsion. Most coldwater species have a thick layer of blubber to prevent heat loss. Some species are capable of diving to great depths. The Mysticeti feed on schooling fish and planktonic crustaceans, mostly krill and copepods. The Odontoceti feed largely on fish and squid, but a few, like the Killer Whale, also hunt marine mammals, including other cetaceans, and seabirds. The great whales have been greatly reduced in numbers by commercial whaling, and some species have not yet fully recovered. The majority of delphinids are still caught in many coastal fisheries, intentionally or as a by-catch. All species are threatened by marine pollution, including plastics, boat collisions, and noise pollution. Several range restricted dolphins are critically endangered, and one (the Chinese River Dolphin) is possibly extinct.

 

Baleen Whales (Mysticeti)
		Right Whales (Balaenidae)
		Rorquals (Balaenopteridae)
Toothed Whales (Odontoceti)
		Oceanic Dolphins (Delphinidae)
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