Jo Jo

Whales, dolphins and porpoises make up the classification order Cetacea, which contains two suborders, Mysticeti and Odontoceti. The baleen whales are members of the Mysticeti suborder, while the toothed whales, dolphins and porpoises make up the suborder Odontoceti. Altogether, the two suborders contain eighty-one known species, separated into thirteen different families. In each family are a number of species, each classified further into 'sub-families', or genera, of which there are 40. What Are Cetaceans? There are …

…and porpoises. The 'baleen whales' or Mysticeti do not have teeth. Instead they have plates made of keratin (the same substance as our fingernails) which hang down from the upper jaw. These plates act like a giant filter, straining small animals (such as plankton, krill and fish) from the seawater. Cetaceans included in this group include the mighty Blue Whale, the Humpback Whale, the Bowhead Whale and the Minke Whale. Bibliography NONE www.catecea.com