List of cetaceans
This list represents the classification of whales ( Cetacea) dar. There are over 80 living species in the suborders toothed whales ( Odontoceti such as dolphins and porpoises ) and baleen whales ( Mysticeti ) divide. Furthermore, there are many extinct species of whales, but this list contains only the recent, currently known species (the baiji is likely extinct 2006).
- 2.1 Family Dolphins ( Delphinidae )
- 2.2 Family Gründel whales ( Monodontidae )
- 2.3 Family porpoises ( Phocoenidae )
- 2.4 Family sperm whales ( Physeteridae )
- 2.5 Family beaked whales ( Ziphiidae )
- 2.6 Family river dolphins ( Iniidae )
- 2.7 Family underway dolphins ( Platanistidae )
Suborder baleen whales ( Mysticeti )
The baleen whales ( Mysticeti ) form one of the two suborders of whales ( Cetacea). They are found in all seas. They are named after the baleen, horn plates in the upper jaw instead of teeth, which are used to filter krill.
Family whales ( Balaenidae )
Right whales ( Balaenidae ) have no throat grooves, a giant head and are up to 16 m long. The beards are long and elastic ( up to 9 times as long as wide ), and their swimming speed is relatively low.
Rorqual family ( Balaenopteridae )
Rorqual ( Balaenopteridae ) are named after their furrowed throat and chest; these furrows are probably a higher elasticity of the skin and thus the larger opening of the mouth during feeding. The rorqual have in relation to the body ( which is absent in some representatives of other families ) has a smaller head than the right whales, shorter beards and getting a back fin. This family includes the largest whale, the blue whale is the largest animal that has ever lived.
Family gray whales ( Eschrichtiidae )
Mediate gray whales ( Eschrichtiidae ) between smooth and furrows whales; they consist only of a kind The gray whale is the only one on the seabed ( benthic ) -eating baleen; it filters small organisms from the mud flat seas. The gestation period of over one year is unusual for baleen whales.
Family dwarf whales ( Neobalaenidae )
Dwarf whales ( Neobalaenidae ) are often integrated in the right whales; they are the least known family and consist of only one kind of the right whales they are distinguished by their dorsal fin, their jaw structure and their relatively smaller head.
Subordination of toothed whales ( Odontoceti )
The toothed whales ( Odontoceti ) form the second of the two suborders of whales ( Cetacea). Unlike baleen whales they have no beards but teeth, with which they feed as predators of fish, squid and sometimes marine mammals. Except for the sperm whale toothed whales are much smaller than the baleen whales.
Family of dolphins ( Delphinidae )
Dolphins are the most diverse and largest with around 40 species of whales family. They are found in all seas and are sometimes also found in coastal areas and rivers. Dolphins are mainly live in freshwater summarized in the superfamily river dolphins ( Platanistoidea ) and do not belong to the dolphin family ( Delphinidae ). Some of the larger species, such as the killer whale, are called whales although they belong to the dolphin family. Of the porpoises, the dolphins are distinguished by their characteristic dorsal fin.
Family Gründel whales ( Monodontidae )
The Gründel whale family includes two species, the Narwhal, in which the male has a long tusk, and the all- white colored Beluga ( Beluga ). Gründel whales are about 6 m long and occur in the northern (primarily Arctic ) seas. The head is blunt with rounded bulging forehead, the pectoral fins are relatively small and rounded, a dorsal fin missing. The Gründel whales primarily eat on the ground, hence the name.
Family porpoises ( Phocoenidae )
The harbor porpoise ( Phocoenidae ) are a family of small toothed whales with six species in four genera. They are related with the dolphins, but differ in a number of anatomical features. Especially characteristic is the shape of the head and teeth. Best known in Europe is the Common porpoise ( Phocoena phocoena ) with reserves in North Sea and Baltic Sea.
Family sperm whales ( Physeteridae )
For sperm whales of the large, square head is typical, which accounts for roughly 1/3 of the total length. The blowhole is shifted slightly to the left, the skin is wrinkled and the upper dentition contains no teeth.
Family beaked whales ( Ziphiidae )
The beaked whales ( Ziphiidae ) are a family of toothed whales. Although they comprise 20 species and thus are the most species-rich family of whales in accordance with the dolphins, very little is known about them. This is due to the fact that they are very rarely found near the coast. Many of the species have been described only recently. Due to their special jaw and head geometry they can prey fish with vacuum in her mouth suck ( suction feeding ) rather than that they catch this in the conventional way with their teeth.
Family river dolphins ( Iniidae )
The river dolphins family consists of four ( depending on the method also five) species occurring in freshwater rivers or brackish estuaries ( the La Plata dolphin in coastal ocean ). All river dolphins feed on fish, which they catch with their many small teeth in their elongated jaws. Their broad pectoral fins make them agile swimmers and her head is movable.
In the scheme used here, the family Iniidae contains five species in three genera, which are occasionally presented in other classifications as their own families.
Family underway dolphins ( Platanistidae )
Originally the family of dolphins swing was associated with only one species ( the Ganges dolphin ). Based on the skeletal structure and different fat composition of the Indus dolphin was described as a separate species in the early 1970. 1998, the results of this study have been questioned and the classification of the old status ( one species) reset. Thus, there are now two subkinds in the genus Platanista, Plata gangetica minor ( the Indus dolphin ) and Plata gangetica gangetica ( the swing dolphin ).