Science
Life Science

Cetacea (dolphins, porpoises, whales)

Cetacea
Cetaceans have long, torpedo-shaped bodies; front flippers; hind limbs that are on the inside of their bodies; and tails that end in horizontal flukes. They have an air or blowhole on the top of their head. They have a layer of fat or blubber and a three chambered stomach. Like most mammals, they give birth to live young and feed them milk. Most species in this order are very social and live in groups called pods. There are two suborders in this order - the Mysticeti, or baleen whales and the Odontoceti, or toothed whales.
NH Species

Short-beaked saddleback dolphin
Northern Right Whale
Humpback Whale
Minke Whale
Harbor porpoise

Dolphins
Key: profileArticle Photos Photos Video Video Audio Audio
Vulnerable Vulnerable Endangered Endangered Critically Endangered Critically Endangered extinct inthe wild Extinct in the Wild extinct Extinct
Status taken from ICUN Redlist
 
Cetacea Families  

button Balaenidae (bowhead whales and right whales)
button Balaenopteridae (rorquals)
button Eschrichtiidae (gray whale)
button Neobalaenidae (pygmy right whale)
button Delphinidae (dolphins, killer whales, pilot whales)
button Iniidae (river dolphins)

button Monodontidae (beluga and narwhal)
button Phocoenidae (porpoises)
button Physeteridae (sperm whales)
button Platanistidae (Indian river dolphins)
button Ziphiidae (beaked whales)


Cetacea Resources 		 
button Lesson Plans
button Games/Interactives
button Video 		  

Websites

Order Cetacea profile Photos
Cetaceans evolved from species that once lived on land! Scientist think, based on DNA and fossil evidence, that hippos are cetaceans closest living relatives.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes

Cetaceans: Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises profile Photos
Cetaceans are broken into two suborders, or main groups, Mysticeti (baleen whales) and Odontoceti (toothed whales).
: NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes

Order Cetacea profile Photos
Cetaceans have long, torpedo-shaped bodies; front flippers; hind limbs that are on the inside of their bodies; and tails that end in horizontal flukes.
Source: NHPTV Wildlife Journal Junior Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: No

Introduction to the Cetacea profile Photos
Learn more about living cetacea species and cetacea in the fossil record.
Source: University of California Museum of Paleontology Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No


Right Whale Identification Game
Head out to sea with Philip Hamilton, right whale researcher and manager of the Right Whale Catalog at the New England Aquarium and see if you can identify right whales by their callosity patterns! Source: New England Aquarium

Bowhead Whaling and Its Impact
This interactive activity presents images and text from the history of whaling in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas in the Arctic. Source: Teacher's Domain


Online Video

DragonFly TV
Whale Scientist

Dragonfly TV
Dolphins
Meet Hailey who voluteers at a dolphin research center.

WhaleWatch
Video from whale watches off Cape Cod.

Whale Evolution
Source: PBS Evolution

Whalenet
Whalenet is and interactive educational Website which focuses on whales and marine research. Source: Wheelock College