Dolphin scientific name

Marine mammals, closely related to whales and porpoises

For other uses, see Dolphin (disambiguation).

A dolphin is an aquatic mammal in the clade Odontoceti (toothed whale).

Dolphins belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (the brackish dolphins), and possibly extinct Lipotidae (baiji or Chinese river dolphin).

There are 40 extant species named as dolphins.

Dolphin classification

Dolphin drawing

Are dolphins dangerous

Dolphin weight

Do dolphins lay eggs

Dolphins range in size from the 1.7-metre-long (5 ft 7 in) and 50-kilogram (110-pound) Maui's dolphin to the 9.5 m (31 ft) and 10-tonne (11-short-ton) orca. Various species of dolphins exhibit sexual dimorphism where the males are larger than females.

They have streamlined bodies and two limbs that are modified into flippers. Though not quite as flexible as seals, they are faster; some dolphins can briefly travel at speeds of 29 kilometres per hour (18 mph) or leap about 9