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Porpoises are distinguished from dolphins by their flattened, spade-shaped teeth distinct from the conical teeth of dolphins, and lack of a pronounced beak, although some dolphins (e.g. Hector's dolphin) also lack a pronounced beak. Porpoises, and other cetaceans, belong to the clade Cetartiodactyla with even-toed ungulates.
They are distinct from dolphins, although the word "porpoise" has been used to refer to any small dolphin, especially by sailors and fishermen. The most obvious visible differences between the two groups are that porpoises have a less pronounced beak, and have spade-shaped teeth as opposed to conical.
Cetacea (/ s ɪ ˈ t eɪ ʃ ə /; from Latin cetus 'whale', from Ancient Greek κῆτος () 'huge fish, sea monster') [3] is an infraorder of aquatic mammals belonging to the order Artiodactyla that includes whales, dolphins and porpoises.
A Pacific white-sided dolphin flips out of the water in the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary off California. These dolphins keep close company. [17] White-sided dolphins swim in groups of 10 to 100, and can often be seen bow-riding and doing somersaults. [6] [18] Members form a close-knit group and will often care for a sick or injured ...
A female bottlenose dolphin performing with her trainer. They are considered one of the most intelligent cetaceans. Cetacean intelligence is the overall intelligence and derived cognitive ability of aquatic mammals belonging in the infraorder Cetacea (cetaceans), including baleen whales, porpoises, and dolphins.
Articles relating to the porpoises (family Phocoenidae), small dolphin-like cetaceans. Although similar in appearance to dolphins, they are more closely related to narwhals and belugas than to the true dolphins. There are eight extant species of porpoise, all among the smallest of the toothed whales. Porpoises are distinguished from dolphins by ...
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However, at higher speeds dolphins and porpoises will seek out the pressure wave and its maximum energy zone in order to ride the wave by holding their flukes in a fixed plane, with only minor adjustments for repositioning. [19] Wave-riding reduces the energetic cost of swimming to the dolphin, even when compared to slower swimming speeds. [19]