CLASSIFICATION
WHAT IS A CETACEAN?

Cetaceans consist of whales, dolphins and porpoises. They are part of the Class Mammalia characterized by: breathing air, endothermy, producing and secreting milk through mammary glands and bearing their young live. Cetaceans are the most specialized of all mammals to meet the demands of their aquatic environment.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Subclass: Eutheria
Order: Cetacea
Suborder: Odontoceti (Toothed whales: Dolphins, Porpoises, Killer Whales)
Mysticeti (Baleen whales: Right, Humpback, Blue and Gray Whales)
Archaeoceti - Extinct (Ancient whales: Basilosaurus, Pakicetus)

Dall's Porpoise

Bottlenose Dolphin

Humpback Whale