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.

Apr 9, 2025 · cetacean, (order Cetacea), any member of an entirely aquatic group of mammals commonly known as whales, dolphins, and porpoises. The ancient Greeks recognized that cetaceans breathe air, give birth to live young, produce …

Dec 23, 2024 · The term Cetacea is derived from the Latin word Cetus, which means’ a huge fish or a sea monster’ and indicates the unusually bulky bodies of these mammals. Cetaceans are fully carnivorous and feed on plankton, shrimp, squid, …

Read about Cetacea (dolphins, porpoises, and whales) on the Animal Diversity Web.

Apr 9, 2025 · The first fossil cetacean, Pakicetus, is from the Early Eocene Epoch. Order Cetacea includes three suborders: there are 81 living species in two suborders, Odontoceti and Mysticeti; the third suborder is the fossil Archaeoceti.

Aug 2, 2023 · A cetacean is a member of the infraorder Cetacea – a group of marine mammals that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. There are approximately 90 species of cetaceans, divided into two main groups, the parvorders Mysticeti (baleen …

Marine mammals in the cetacean family include whales, dolphins and porpoises. These animals are completely aquatic, meaning they spend all of their time in the ocean and cannot survive on land.

2 days ago · The Cetacea (whales, dolphins and porpoises) currently include 90 species that inhabit the world's oceans, lakes and rivers. Some are cosmopolitan, occurring in marine waters from pole to pole, while others are restricted by ecology and population status to small ranges of a few thousand square kilometers or less.

Taxonomy classifies whales, dolphins and porpoises as the Order of Cetacea (known commonly as cetaceans) and divides this group into two suborders: Within each of these suborders are individual groups or ‘families.’. Each species has a scientific name and a common name.

The order Cetacea are marine mammals that live in oceans, seas and even a few rivers around the world. Whales , dolphins and porpoises are part of this group. These common names refer to size: whales are the largest, porpoises the smallest.