Baleen whales are classified in the suborder Mysticeti; all toothed whales, including the dolphins, belong to the suborder Odontoceti.
There are about 45 species of dolphins and porpoises, including three subspecies of bottlenose dolphins that are found all over the world in temperate and tropical waters. The Dolphin Quest animals are Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus.

Cetaceans are remarkably well adapted to aquatic life. Their streamlined shape allows for efficient movement through the water. Dolphins and whales have a pectoral flipper on each side of the body which act as rudders, stabilizers, and brakes. The pectoral flippers have the same bones as we have in our arms and hands. The dorsal fin on the back is an additional stabilizer. There are no bones inside the dorsal fin, rather it is made of fibrous connective tissue. The tail fins, or flukes, also composed totally of fibrous connective tissue, provide the powerful up-and-down motion which propels a dolphin through the water.

All dolphins, porpoises, and whales are warm-blooded mammals that live in the ocean.
They belong to the order Cetacea.

 

Did you know?
Dolphins don't chew their
food! They use their teeth
to catch their prey, but
swallow their food whole.

Did you know?
Baleen is made from keratin, the same material that
makes human nails and hair!

Are dolphins like whales?