List of whales

From Whalegenome_org

This is a list of cetaceans. The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. It has just over eighty living species, divided into the suborders Odontoceti (the toothed whales, including dolphins and porpoises) and Mysticeti (the baleen whales). In addition, numerous species of extinct cetaceans exist, but they are not listed here. This list contains only the known, extant cetacean species including several recent discoveries (the Baiji is also included though it is believed to have gone extinct in 2006).

Cetaceans are aquatic mammals characterised by having a fusiform (streamlined) body shape, paddle-shaped front limbs and vestigial hind limbs. The tail has been flattened into a fluke to aid propulsion.

Suborder Mysticeti: baleen whales

Main article: Mysticeti

The baleen whales, also called whalebone whales or great whales, form the Mysticeti, one of two suborders of the Cetacea (whales, dolphins and porpoises). Baleen whales are characterized by having baleen plates for filtering food from water, rather than having teeth, like with the Odontocetes. This distinguishes them from the other suborder of cetaceans, the toothed whales or Odontoceti. Living Mysticeti species have teeth only during the embryonal phase. Fossil Mysticeti had teeth before baleen evolved.

Family Balaenidae: Right Whales

Family Balaenopteridae: Rorquals

Family Eschrichtiidae: Gray Whale

Family Neobalaenidae: Pygmy Right Whale

Suborder Odontoceti: toothed whales

Main article: Odontoceti

The toothed whales (systematic name Odontoceti) form a suborder of the cetaceans. As the name suggests, the suborder is characterized by having teeth (rather than baleen). Toothed whales are active hunters, feeding on fish, squid, and in some cases other marine mammals.

Family Delphinidae: Oceanic Dolphins

See also: Delphinidae

Oceanic dolphins are the members of the Delphinidae family of cetaceans. These aquatic mammals are related to whales and porpoises. As the name implies, these dolphins tend to be found in the open seas, unlike the river dolphins, although a few species such as the Irrawaddy Dolphin are coastal or riverine. Six of the larger species in the Delphinidae, the Orca and its relatives, are commonly called whales, rather than dolphins. They are also sometimes collectively known as "blackfish".

The Delphinidae are characterised by having a distinct beak (unlike the Porpoises), two or more fused cervical vertebrae and 20 or more pairs of teeth in the upper jaw. None are more than 4 metres long.^[1]

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Genus CephalorhynchusGray, 1846 – 4 species
Commerson's Dolphin	Cephalorhynchus commersonii Lacépède, 1804	Data deficient	3,400		35–60 kilograms
Chilean Dolphin	Cephalorhynchus eutropia Gray, 1846	Data deficient	Unknown		60 kilograms
Heaviside's Dolphin	Cephalorhynchus heavisidii Gray, 1828	Data deficient	Unknown		40–75 kilograms
Hector's Dolphin	Cephalorhynchus hectori Van Beneden, 1881	Endangered (EN)	2,000–2,500		35–60 kilograms
Genus Steno – 1 species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Rough-toothed Dolphin	Steno bredanensis Lesson, 1828	Data deficient	150,000		100–135 kilograms
Genus Sousa – 3 species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Atlantic Humpback Dolphin	Sousa teuszi Kükenthal, 1892	Data deficient	Unknown		100–150 kilograms
Indian Humpback Dolphin	Sousa plumbea Cuvier, 1829	Data deficient	Unknown		150–200 kilograms
Pacific Humpback Dolphin	Sousa chinensis Osbeck, 1765	Data deficient	Unknown		250–280 kilograms
Genus Sotalia – 1 species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Tucuxi	Sotalia fluviatilis Gervais & Deville, 1853	Data deficient	Unknown		35–45 kilograms
Genus Tursiops – 2 species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Common Bottlenose Dolphin	Tursiops truncatus Montagu, 1821	Data deficient	Unknown		150–650 kilograms
Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin	Tursiops aduncus Ehrenberg, 1833	Data deficient	Unknown		150–650 kilograms
Genus StenellaGray, 1866 – 5 species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin	Stenella frontalis Cuvier, 1829	Data deficient	100,000		100 kilograms
Clymene Dolphin	Stenella clymene Gray, 1846	Data deficient	Unknown		75–80 kilograms
Pantropical Spotted Dolphin	Stenella attenuata Gray, 1846	Conservation Dependent (LR/cd)	3,000,000		100 kilograms
Spinner Dolphin	Stenella longirostris Gray, 1828	Conservation Dependent (LR/cd)	Unknown		90 kilograms
Striped Dolphin	Stenella coeruleoalba Meyen, 1833	Conservation Dependent (LR/cd)	2,000,000		100 kilograms
Genus Delphinus – 3 species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Arabian Common Dolphin	Delphinus tropicalis van Bree, 1971	Unknown	Unknown		65–105 kilograms
Long-beaked Common Dolphin	Delphinus capensis Gray, 1828	Conservation Dependent (LR/cd)	Unknown^[2]		70–110 kilograms
Genus Lagenodelphis – 1 species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Fraser's Dolphin	Lagenodelphis hosei Fraser, 1956	Data deficient	Unknown		209 kilograms
Genus LagenorhynchusGray, 1846 – 6 species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Atlantic White-sided Dolphin	Lagenorhynchus acutus Gray, 1828	Least Concern (LR/lc)	200,000 – 300,000		235 kilograms
Dusky Dolphin	Lagenorhynchus obscurus Gray, 1828	Data deficient	Unknown		100 kilograms
Hourglass Dolphin	Lagenorhynchus cruciger Quoy & Gaimard, 1824	Least Concern (LR/lc)	140,000		90–120 kilograms
Pacific White-sided Dolphin	Lagenorhynchus obliquidens Gill, 1865	Least Concern (LR/lc)	1,000,000		85–150 kilograms
Peale's Dolphin (also known as Black-chinned Dolphin)	Lagenorhynchus australis Peale, 1848	Data deficient	Unknown^[3]		115 kilograms
White-beaked Dolphin	Lagenorhynchus albirostris Gray, 1846	Least Concern (LR/lc)	100,000^[4]		180 kilograms
Genus Lissodelphis – 2 species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Northern Right Whale Dolphin	Lissodelphis borealis Peale, 1848	Least Concern (LR/lc)	400,000^[5]		115 kilograms
Southern Right Whale Dolphin	Lissodelphis peronii Lacépède, 1804	Data deficient	Unknown^[6]		60–100 kilograms
Genus Grampus – 1 species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Risso's Dolphin	Grampus griseus G. Cuvier, 1812	Data deficient	Unknown^[7]		300 kilograms
Genus Peponocephala – 1 species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Melon-headed Whale	Peponocephala electra Gray, 1846	Least Concern (LR/lc)	Unknown^[8]		225 kilograms
Genus Feresa – 1 species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Pygmy Killer Whale	Feresa attenuata Gray, 1875	Data deficient	Unknown^[9]		160–350 kilograms
Genus Pseudorca – 1 species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
False Killer Whale	Pseudorca crassidens Owen, 1846	Least Concern (LR/lc)	Unknown^[10]		1.5-2 tonnes
Genus Orcinus – 1 species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Orca	Orcinus orca Linnaeus, 1758	Conservation Dependent (LR/cd)	100,000^[11]		4.5 tonnes
Genus Globicephala – 2 species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Long-finned Pilot Whale	Globicephala melas Traill, 1809	Least Concern (LR/lc)	Unknown^[12]		3-3.5 tonnes
Short-finned Pilot Whale	Globicephala macrorhynchus Gray, 1846	Conservation Dependent (LR/cd)	Unknown^[13]		1–3 tonnes
Genus OrcaellaGray, 1866 – 2 species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Australian Snubfin Dolphin	Orcaella heinsohni Beasley, Robertson & Arnold, 2005	Unknown	Unknown		130–145 kilograms
Irrawaddy Dolphin	Orcaella brevirostris Gray, 1866	Data deficient	Unknown		130 kilograms

Family Monodontidae: Narwhal and Beluga

Family Phocoenidae: Porpoises

Family Physeteridae: Sperm Whale

Family Kogiidae: Dwarf and Pygmy Sperm Whales

Family Ziphiidae: Beaked Whales

Superfamily Platanistoidea: river dolphins

Family Iniidae: River Dolphins

Main article: Iniidae

The Iniidae family of river dolphins contains only one genus and one species.

Amazon River Dolphin – I. geoffrensis
- I. geoffrensis geoffrensis – Amazon basin population (excluding Madeira river drainage area, above the Teotonio Rapids in Bolivia)
- I. geoffrensis humboldtiana – Orinoco basin population
- Bolivian River Dolphin – I. boliviensis – Amazon basin population in the Madeira drainage area

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Genus Inia – 1 species
Boto (Amazon River Dolphin)	Inia geoffrensis Blainville, 1817	Vulnerable (VU)	Unknown		150 kilograms

Family Lipotidae: Baiji

Main article: Lipotidae

The Lipotidae family is another monotypic taxon, containing only the Baiji. Fossil records suggest that the dolphin first appeared 25 million years ago and migrated from the Pacific Ocean to the Yangtze River 20 million years ago.^[32] The species was declared functionally extinct in 2006 after an expedition to record population numbers.

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Genus Lipotes – 1 species
Baiji (Chinese River Dolphin)	Lipotes vexillifer Miller, 1918	Critically Endangered (CR) Possibly extinct	13^[33]		130 kilograms

Family Platanistidae: Ganges and Indus River Dolphin

Main article: Platanistidae

The Platanistidae was originally thought to hold only one species (Ganges and Indus River Dolphin) but based on differences in skull structure, vertebrae and lipid composition scientists declared the two populations as separate species in the early 1970s.^[34] In 1998 the results of these studies were questioned and the classification reverted to the pre-1970 consensus. Thus, at present, there are two subspecies recognized in the genus Platanista, Platanista gangetica minor (the Indus dolphin) and Platanista gangetica gangetica (the Ganges River dolphin).^[35]

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Genus Platanista – 1 species
Ganges and Indus River Dolphin	Platanista gangetica Roxburgh, 1801	Endangered (EN)	1,100^[36]		200 kilograms

Family Pontoporiidae: La Plata River Dolphin

Main article: Pontoporiidae

The La Plata River Dolphin is the only species of the Pontoporiidae family and of the Pontoporia genus.

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Genus Pontoporia – 1 species
La Plata Dolphin	Pontoporia blainvillei Gervais & d'Orbigny, 1844	Data deficient	4,000–4,500		50 kilograms

Notes and references

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Martin, Dr. Anthony R. (1991). Whales and Dolphins. London: Salamander Books.
^ The total population is unknown but numbers in the hundreds of thousands.
^ Total population unknown but thought to be locally common – it is the most common dolphin found around the Falkland Islands
^ Estimates of various stocks throughout the North Atlantic give an overall value into the high tens or low hundreds of thousands.
^ Varying population estimates for areas around California and the North Pacific give a total of up to 400,000
^ Surveys suggest that this is the most common dolphin off of Chilean waters.
^ The population around the continental shelf of the United States has been recorded to be in excess of 60,000. In the Pacific a census recorded 175,000 individuals in eastern tropical waters and 85,000 in the west. No global estimate of population exists.
^ Estimates for eastern tropical Pacific are 45,000 and another recent survey estimates population to be 1,200 for the eastern Sulu Sea, no global estimate is known.
^ The only population estimate is of 38,900 individuals in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean
^ The total population is unknown. The eastern Pacific was estimated to have in excess of 40,000 individuals and is probably the home of the largest grouping.
^ Local estimates include 70–80,000 in the Antarctic, 8,000 in the tropical Pacific (although tropical waters are not the orca's preferred environment, the sheer size of this area — 19 million square kilometres — means there are thousands of orcas), up to 2,000 off Japan, 1,500 off the cooler northeast Pacific and 1,500 off Norway.
^ Total population not known. There are estimated to be in excess of 200,000 in the Southern Ocean. The North Atlantic population is not known.
^ Total population not known. There are 150,000 individuals in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. There are estimated to be more than 30,000 animals in the western Pacific, off the coast of Japan.
^ Aerial surveys suggest a population of around 20,000 individuals. When submerged animals are also taken into account, the true figure may be in excess of 25,000.
^ There are estimated to be 40,000 individuals in the Beaufort Sea, 25,000 in Hudson Bay, 18,000 in the Bering Sea and 28,000 in the Canadian High Arctic. The population in the St. Lawrence estuary is estimated to be around 1000.
^ There are not enough data to place finless porpoises on the endangered species list, except in China, where they are endangered. Their propensity for staying close to shore places them in great danger from fishing
^ There are no good estimates of the animals' abundance. However a comparison of two surveys, one from the late 1970s and the other from 1999/2000 shows a decline in population and distribution.
^ Several surveys have been taken although large gaps of data is missing so an overall value cannot be achieved. In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Central California 4,120; Northern California 9,250; Oregon and Washington 26,175. In the Atlantic Ocean: Gulf of Maine 67,500; Skagerrak and Belt Seas 36,046; North Sea 279,367; Ireland and western UK 36,280.
^ Only few serious attempts have been made to estimate the total size of the vaquita population. Varying numbers have been obtained although an average of about 500 is usually found.
^ Nothing is known of the abundance of this porpoise. It was the most commonly encountered species during preliminary beach surveys undertaken on Tierra del Fuego.
^ There are no quantitative data on abundance.
^ The most recent estimate for the North Pacific and Bering Sea is 1,186,000.
^ The total number of Sperm Whales throughout the world is unknown. Crude estimates, obtained by surveying small areas and extrapolating the result to all the world's oceans, range from 200,000 to 2,000,000 individuals.
^ ^a ^b No global population estimates have been made. One survey estimated a population of about 11,000 in the eastern Pacific.
^ Because of the difficulty of identifying the species the total global population is unknown.
^ Arnoux's beaked whales seem to be relatively abundant in Cook Strait during summer
^ Virtually nothing is known about the abundance of Baird's beaked whales, except that they are not rare as was formerly thought
^ Nothing is known about the relative abundance of this species or its population composition.
^ A 2002 survey estimates that there are 766 animals around Hawaii. No other population estimates exist for other locales.
^ Total population is unknown but likely to be of the order of 10,000.
^ There is thought to be a global population in excess of 500,000.
^ Wang, Yongchen (2007-01-10). "Farewell to the Baiji". China Dialogue. http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/673-Farewell-to-the-baiji. Retrieved 2007-05-29.
^ A survey from November–December 2006 failed to find any individuals. Another survey, from 1997, counted only 13 individuals. In 1986 surveys estimated the number to be at about 300.
^ Pilleri, G., Marcuzzi, G. and Pilleri, O., 1982. Speciation in the Platanistoidea, systematic, zoogeographical and ecological observations on recent species. Investigations on Cetacea, 14: 15–46.
^ Rice, DW (1998). Marine mammals of the world: Systematics and distribution. Society for Marine Mammalogy. ISBN 978-1891276033.
^ Estimates give values of 1,100 Indus River Dolphins and maybe as few as 20 Ganges River Dolphins.

General references

Rice, Dale W. (1998). "Marine mammals of the world: systematics and distribution". Society of Marine Mammalogy Special Publication Number 4: 231pp.
Mead, James G.; Brownell, Robert L., Jr. (16 November 2005). "Order Cetacea (pp. 723-743)". In Wilson, Don E., and Reeder, DeeAnn M., eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols. (2142 pp.). ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3.
"Red List of Threatened Species". IUCN. Archived from the original on 2006-11-02. http://web.archive.org/web/20061102232005/http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/redlist2006/redlist2006.htm. Retrieved 2006-11-09.

External links

CMS Small Cetaceans

[Martin-0] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Martin, Dr. Anthony R. (1991). Whales and Dolphins. London: Salamander Books.

[1] The total population is unknown but numbers in the hundreds of thousands.

[2] Total population unknown but thought to be locally common – it is the most common dolphin found around the Falkland Islands

[3] Estimates of various stocks throughout the North Atlantic give an overall value into the high tens or low hundreds of thousands.

[4] Varying population estimates for areas around California and the North Pacific give a total of up to 400,000

[5] Surveys suggest that this is the most common dolphin off of Chilean waters.

[6] The population around the continental shelf of the United States has been recorded to be in excess of 60,000. In the Pacific a census recorded 175,000 individuals in eastern tropical waters and 85,000 in the west. No global estimate of population exists.

[7] Estimates for eastern tropical Pacific are 45,000 and another recent survey estimates population to be 1,200 for the eastern Sulu Sea, no global estimate is known.

[8] The only population estimate is of 38,900 individuals in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean

[9] The total population is unknown. The eastern Pacific was estimated to have in excess of 40,000 individuals and is probably the home of the largest grouping.

[10] Local estimates include 70–80,000 in the Antarctic, 8,000 in the tropical Pacific (although tropical waters are not the orca's preferred environment, the sheer size of this area — 19 million square kilometres — means there are thousands of orcas), up to 2,000 off Japan, 1,500 off the cooler northeast Pacific and 1,500 off Norway.

[11] Total population not known. There are estimated to be in excess of 200,000 in the Southern Ocean. The North Atlantic population is not known.

[12] Total population not known. There are 150,000 individuals in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. There are estimated to be more than 30,000 animals in the western Pacific, off the coast of Japan.

[13] Aerial surveys suggest a population of around 20,000 individuals. When submerged animals are also taken into account, the true figure may be in excess of 25,000.

[14] There are estimated to be 40,000 individuals in the Beaufort Sea, 25,000 in Hudson Bay, 18,000 in the Bering Sea and 28,000 in the Canadian High Arctic. The population in the St. Lawrence estuary is estimated to be around 1000.

[15] There are not enough data to place finless porpoises on the endangered species list, except in China, where they are endangered. Their propensity for staying close to shore places them in great danger from fishing

[16] There are no good estimates of the animals' abundance. However a comparison of two surveys, one from the late 1970s and the other from 1999/2000 shows a decline in population and distribution.

[17] Several surveys have been taken although large gaps of data is missing so an overall value cannot be achieved. In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Central California 4,120; Northern California 9,250; Oregon and Washington 26,175. In the Atlantic Ocean: Gulf of Maine 67,500; Skagerrak and Belt Seas 36,046; North Sea 279,367; Ireland and western UK 36,280.

[18] Only few serious attempts have been made to estimate the total size of the vaquita population. Varying numbers have been obtained although an average of about 500 is usually found.

[19] Nothing is known of the abundance of this porpoise. It was the most commonly encountered species during preliminary beach surveys undertaken on Tierra del Fuego.

[20] There are no quantitative data on abundance.

[21] The most recent estimate for the North Pacific and Bering Sea is 1,186,000.

[22] The total number of Sperm Whales throughout the world is unknown. Crude estimates, obtained by surveying small areas and extrapolating the result to all the world's oceans, range from 200,000 to 2,000,000 individuals.

[ReferenceA-23] No global population estimates have been made. One survey estimated a population of about 11,000 in the eastern Pacific.

[24] Because of the difficulty of identifying the species the total global population is unknown.

[25] Arnoux's beaked whales seem to be relatively abundant in Cook Strait during summer

[26] Virtually nothing is known about the abundance of Baird's beaked whales, except that they are not rare as was formerly thought

[27] Nothing is known about the relative abundance of this species or its population composition.

[28] A 2002 survey estimates that there are 766 animals around Hawaii. No other population estimates exist for other locales.

[29] Total population is unknown but likely to be of the order of 10,000.

[30] There is thought to be a global population in excess of 500,000.

[31] Wang, Yongchen (2007-01-10). "Farewell to the Baiji". China Dialogue. http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/673-Farewell-to-the-baiji. Retrieved 2007-05-29.

[32] A survey from November–December 2006 failed to find any individuals. Another survey, from 1997, counted only 13 individuals. In 1986 surveys estimated the number to be at about 300.

[33] Pilleri, G., Marcuzzi, G. and Pilleri, O., 1982. Speciation in the Platanistoidea, systematic, zoogeographical and ecological observations on recent species. Investigations on Cetacea, 14: 15–46.

[34] Rice, DW (1998). Marine mammals of the world: Systematics and distribution. Society for Marine Mammalogy. ISBN 978-1891276033.

[35] Estimates give values of 1,100 Indus River Dolphins and maybe as few as 20 Ganges River Dolphins.

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Subfamily Balaenopterinae – 1 genus, 8 species
Genus Balaenoptera – 8 species
Blue Whale	Balaenoptera musculus Linnaeus, 1758	Endangered (EN)	5,000–12,000		100–120 tonnes
Bryde's Whale	Balaenoptera brydei Olsen, 1913	Data deficient (DD)	90,000–100,000		16–18.5 tonnes
Common Minke Whale	Balaenoptera acutorostrata Lacépède, 1804	Near Threatened (LR/nt)	Unknown		9 tonnes
Fin Whale	Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758	Endangered (EN)	64,000		45–75 tonnes
Pygmy Bryde's Whale	Balaenoptera edeni Anderson, 1879	Unknown	Unknown
Sei Whale	Balaenoptera borealis Lesson, 1828	Endangered (EN)	57,000		20–25 tonnes
Southern Minke Whale	Balaenoptera bonaerensis Burmeister, 1867	Conservation Dependent (LR/cd)	Unknown		9 tonnes
No common name in usage	Balaenoptera omurai Wada et al., 2003	Unknown	Unknown
Subfamily Megapterinae – 1 genus, 1 species
Genus MegapteraGray, 1846 – 1 species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Humpback Whale	Megaptera novaeangliae Borowski, 1781	Least Concern (LR/lc)	80,000		25–30 tonnes