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Line 61: − + − + − + − * [[Orca|Killer whales]]+ − * [[Sperm whale]]s+ − * [[Narwhal]]s+ − * [[Pilot whale]]s+ − + − Baleen whales include:+ − * [[Blue whale]]s+ − * [[Gray whale]]s+ − * [[Humpback whale]]s+ − * [[Fin whale]]s+ − * [[Right whale]]s+ − * [[Minke whale]]s+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
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{{Taxonomy
|name=Whale
|image=
|caption=
|domain=Eukaryota
|kingdom=Animalia
|subkingdom=Bilateria
|branch=Deuterostomia
|superphylum=Chordata
|phylum=Vertebrata
|subphylum=
|infraphylum=Gnathostomata
|microphylum=
|superdivision=
|division=
|subdivision=
|superclass=Tetrapoda
|class=Mammalia
|subclass=Theriiformes
|infraclass=Holotheria
|superorder=
|order=Cetacea
|suborder=
|infraorder=
|superfamily=
|families=
|family=
|subfamily=
|supertribe=
|tribe=
|subtribe=
|genera=
|genus=
|subgenus=
|species=
|binomialname=
|syn=
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|conservation=
}}
'''Whales''' are marine mammals of the order [[Cetacea]].
'''Whales''' are marine mammals of the order [[Cetacea]].
== Description ==
== Description ==
Whales are separated into the toothed whales (which includes [[dolphin]]s, [[porpoise]]s, [[narwhal]]s, [[beaked whale]]s and [[sperm whale]]s) and the whalebone, or baleen, whales. The latter are cetaceans, mostly very large, which, instead of teeth, have baleen (whalebone) to filter small prey from the water; they are what people generally think of when the word whale is used. The whalebone whales include the rorquals - the [[blue whale]], fin whale, sei whale, Bryde's whale, [[minke whale]], [[grey whale]]; the [[humpback whale]]; and the various [[right whale]]s.
Whales are separated into the toothed whales (which includes [[dolphin]]s, [[porpoise]]s, [[narwhal]]s, [[beaked whale]]s and [[sperm whale]]s), and the whalebone, or baleen, whales. The latter are mostly very large, which, instead of teeth, have baleen (whalebone) to filter small prey from the water; they are what people generally think of when the word whale is used. The whalebone whales include the rorquals - the [[blue whale]], fin whale, sei whale, Bryde's whale, [[minke whale]], [[grey whale]]; the [[humpback whale]]; and the various [[right whale]]s.
Although whales are famed for the massive size reached by some species, such as the blue whale (the largest animal to ever live), others are relatively small, like the pygmy right whale which grows to about 20 feet <ref> [http://www.acsonline.org/factpack/PygmyRightWhale.htm]American Cetacean Society website</ref>. Though whales have many traits in common with fish (including fins and tails) they are [[classification system|classified]] as [[mammal|mammals]] under the [[Linnaean taxonomy]] classification system because they breathe air and lactate. Whales have a number of remarkable features including:
Although whales are famed for the massive size reached by some species, such as the blue whale (the largest animal to ever live), others are relatively small, like the pygmy right whale which grows to about 20 feet<ref>[http://www.acsonline.org/factpack/PygmyRightWhale.htm]American Cetacean Society website</ref>. Though whales have many traits in common with fish (including fins and tails) they are [[classification system|classified]] as [[mammal|mammals]] under the [[Linnaean taxonomy]] classification system because they breathe air and lactate. Whales have a number of remarkable features including:
* they decide when to breathe, rather than breathing unconsciously
* they decide when to breathe, rather than breathing unconsciously
=== Taxonomy ===
=== Taxonomy ===
There are two kinds of whales: toothed whales of the suborder Odontoceti (which includes [[dolphins]] and [[porpoise]]s), and whalebone (baleen) whales of the suborder Mysticeti.
There are two kinds of whales: toothed whales of the suborder Odontoceti, and whalebone (baleen) whales of the suborder Mysticeti.
*'''Suborder Mysticeti: Baleen whales'''
Toothed whales include:
::'''Family Balaenidae: Right whales'''
::::Genus ''Balaena''
:::::Bowhead whale, ''Balaena mysticetus''
::::Genus Eubalaena''
:::::North Atlantic right whale, ''Eubalaena glacialis''
:::::North Pacific right whale, ''Eubalaena japonica''
:::::Southern right whale, ''Eubalaena australis''
::'''Family Balaenopteridae: Rorquals'''
:::Subfamily Balaenopterinae
::::Genus ''Balaenoptera''
:::::Antarctic minke whale, ''Balaenoptera bonaerensis''
:::::Common minke whale, ''Balaenoptera acutorostrata''
:::::Bryde's whale, ''Balaenoptera brydei''
:::::Blue whale, ''Balaenoptera musculus''
:::::Fin whale, ''Balaenoptera physalus''
:::::Sei whale, ''Balaenoptera borealis''
:::Subfamily Megapterinae
::::Genus ''Megaptera''
:::::Humpback whale, ''Megaptera novaeangliae''
::'''Family Eschrichtiidae'''
::::Genus ''Eschrichtius''
:::::Gray whale, ''Eschrichtius robustus''
::'''Family Neobalaenidae'''
::::Genus ''Caperea''
:::::Pygmy right whale, ''Caperea marginata''
*'''Suborder Odontoceti: Toothed whales'''
::'''Family Monodontidae'''
::::Genus ''Delphinapterus''
:::::Beluga, ''Delphinapterus leucas''
::::Genus ''Monodon''
:::::Narwhal, ''Monodon monoceros''
::'''Family Physeteridae: Sperm whales'''
::::Genus ''Physeter''
:::::Sperm whale, ''Physeter macrocephalus''
::::Genus ''Kogia''
:::::Dwarf sperm whale, ''Kogia sima''
:::::Pygmy sperm whale, ''Kogia breviceps''
::'''Family Ziphidae: Beaked whales'''
::::Genus ''Berardius''
:::::Arnoux's beaked whale, ''Berardius arnuxii''
:::::Baird's beaked whale, ''Berardius bairdii''
:::Subfamily Hyperoodontidae
::::Genus ''Hyperoodon''
:::::Northern bottlenose whale, ''Hyperoodon ampullatus''
:::::Southern bottlenose whale, ''Hyperoodon planifrons''
::::Genus ''Indopacetus''
:::::Indo-Pacific beaked whale, ''Indopacetus pacificus''
::::Genus ''Mesoplodon''
:::::Andrews' beaked whale, ''Mesoplodon bowdoini''
:::::Blainville's beaked whale, ''Mesoplodon densirostris''
:::::Gervais' beaked whale, ''Mesoplodon europaeus''
:::::Ginkgo-toothed beaked whale, ''Mesoplodon ginkgodens''
:::::Gray's beaked whale, ''Mesoplodon grayi''
:::::Hector's beaked whale, ''Mesoplodon hectori''
:::::Hubbs' beaked whale, ''Mesoplodon carlhubbsi''
:::::Perrin's beaked whale, ''Mesoplodon perrini''
:::::Pygmy beaked whale, ''Mesoplodon peruvianus''
:::::Sowerby's beaked whale, ''Mesoplodon bidens''
:::::Spade-toothed whale, ''Mesoplodon traversii''
:::::Stejneger's beaked whale, ''Mesoplodon stejnegeri''
:::::Strap-toothed whale, ''Mesoplodon layardii''
:::::True's beaked whale, ''Mesoplodon mirus''
::::Genus ''Tasmacetus''
:::::Shepherd's beaked whale, ''Tasmacetus shepherdi''
::::Genus ''Ziphius''
:::::Cuvier's beaked whale, ''Ziphius cavirostris''
== Origins ==
== Origins ==