Cetaceans [si-tey-shuh ns]

Cetaceans Cetaceans is the name given to whales, dolphin and porpoises. These are broken down into two groups. Mysticeti or baleen whales and Odontoceti or toothed whales. Sharks are not part of the whale family because they are fish, not mammals.

Odonticiti [oh-don-tuh-see-tee] Toothed Whales

Toothed Whales The Odonticiti or Toothed Whale family include dolphins, Sperm Whales, beaked whales, porpoises, monodontidaes and Orca. Monodontidae, pronounced [mono-dont-id-i], are White Whales or Belugas and Narwhals. Narwhals are often referred to as the unicorns of the ocean because the males have a horn on the top of their head. Toothed whales all eat fish and some eat smaller whales, dolphins and seals too. Orcas or Killer Whales are the largest of the dolphin family. They are black and white, they have a long dorsal fin and lots of teeth. They eat seals, fish, small whales and dolphins.

Odonticiti: Have you heard of any of them? Hubbs Beaked Whale Orca or Killer Whale Harbor Porpoise Orca or Killer Whale Pilot Whale Narwhal Hectors Dolphin Amazon River Dolphin Beluga or White Whale Sperm Whale Bottlenose Dolphin

Mysticeti [mis-tuh-see-tee] Baleen Whales

Baleen Whales Mysticeti or Baleen whales are whales like: Blue Whales, Right Whales, Grey Whales and Humpback Whales. Baleen is a sort of bristle like thing and is made out of the same stuff as our hair and fingernails. Baleen whales use the baleen like a sieve to strain out the water that they get in their mouths when they suck in all of the shrimp. This means that the shrimp stays in their mouths and the water goes out. Roquals are a group of whales which include: the Blue Whale, the Bryde's Whale, the Fin Whale, the Minke Whale, the Sei Whale, and the Humpback Whale.

Mysticeti: Have you heard of any of them? Humpback Whale Right Whale Blue Whale Minke Whale Grey Whale Fin Whale