Description:
There are 86 species of cetaceans, and these are divided into two suborders - the mysticetes (baleen whales, 14 species) and odontocetes (toothed whales, 72 species).
Cetaceans range in size from just a few feet long to over 100 feet long. Unlike fish, which swim by moving their heads from side-to-side to swing their tail, cetaceans propel themselves by moving their tail in a smooth, up-and-down motion. Some cetaceans, such as the Dall's porpoise and the orca (killer whale) can swim faster than 30 miles per hour.
Cetaceans Are Mammals:
Classification:
Feeding:
Baleen and toothed whales have distinct feeding differences. Baleen whales use plates made of keratin to filter out large quantities of small fish, crustaceans or plankton from the sea water.
Toothed whales often gather in pods and work cooperatively to feed. They prey on animals such as fish, cephalopods, and skates.
Reproduction:
Habitat and Distribution:
Conservation:
Many cetacean species were decimated by whaling. Some, like the North Atlantic right whale, have been slow to recover. Many cetacean species are protected now - in the U.S., all marine mammals have protection under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Other threats to cetaceans include entanglement in fishing gear or marine debris, ship collisions, pollution, and coastal development.
