Porpoise

Porpoises
Dall's Porpoise
Dall's Porpoise
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Cetacea
Family:Phocoenidae
Genera

Neophocaena
Phocoena - Harbor porpoises
Phocoenoides - Dall's porpoises

The porpoises are small cetaceans of the family Phocoenidae; they are related to whales and dolphins. They are however distinct from dolphins, although the word "porpoise" is often used to refer to any small dolphin, especially in North America. A key difference is the shape of the teeth and of the head.

Porpoises, divided into six species, live in all oceans, mostly near the shore. Probably best known is the Harbour Porpoise, which can be found across the northern hemisphere.

Contents

Anatomy

Porpoises tend to be smaller but stouter than dolphins. They have small, rounded heads and blunt jaws instead of beaks. Their teeth are spade-shaped, whereas dolphins have conical teeth. In addition, a porpoise's dorsal fin is generally triangular, rather than curved like that of many dolphins.

Porpoise Illustation provided by Classroom Clip Art (http://classroomclipart.com)
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Porpoise Illustation provided by Classroom Clip Art (http://classroomclipart.com)

These animals are the smallest cetaceans, reaching body lengths up to 2.5 m (8 feet); the smallest species is the Vaquita, reaching up to 1.5 m (5 feet).

Behaviour

Porpoises are predators hunting mainly fish, often also squid and crustaceans. Most common are small groups of up to ten individuals, which in some species may join forming aggregations of several hundred animals. Different click and whistle sounds are used for communication. Like all toothed whales they are capable of echolocation. Porpoises are fast swimmers—Dall's porpoise is said to be one of the fastest cetaceans with a speed of 55 km/h (34 m/h). Porpoises tend to be less acrobatic and more wary than dolphins. When a porpoise swims upside down, it is searching for a mate. The critical distinction between porpoises and dolphins, is that porpoises tend to be more talkative and relaxed in social situations whereas dolphins have a tendency towards shyness.

Taxonomy

Evolution of porpoises

Porpoises, along with whales and dolphins, are descendants of land-living mammals, most likely of the Artiodactyl order. They entered the water roughly 50 million years ago. See evolution of cetaceans for the details.

Human impact

In many countries, porpoises are hunted for food or bait meat. Additionally, bycatch in fishing gear is responsible for a decline of the stocks. One of the most endangered cetacean species is the Vaquita, having a limited distribution in a highly industrialized area.

Porpoises are rarely held in captivity in zoos or oceanaria, in contrast to dolphins, which are far more popular.

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