Home›Mammals›Taxonomy›CetaceaTaxaCetaceaMammal OrdersReference and ClassificationThoroughly VerifiedWhales, dolphins and porpoises: fully aquatic mammals descended from land-dwelling, hoofed ancestors, with forelimbs modified into flippers, no hind limbs, and a horizontally flattened tail fluke used for propulsion. Cetacea includes the blue whale, the largest animal known to have ever lived.FactsCetaceaConnectionsSourcesComments (0)Reader Challenges (0)FactsTaxonomic RankWell-attestedOrder 2Scientific NameWell-attestedCetacea 2Member Count BandWell-attested10 to 100 Species 3Era First AppearedWell-attestedPaleogene 4DisputedMember Species/Taxa CountScholarly debate90 2Approximate described-species (or, for a genus, described-taxon) count; continually revised as species are newly described, reclassified or synonymized.ClassificationLiving or ExtinctWell-attestedYes 1CetaceaFilter Results3 entriesCommon GroupAllCetaceans (Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises) (3)Everyday GroupAllCetaceans (Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises) (3)HabitatAllFreshwater (1)Neritic Zone (2)Open Ocean (2)River (1)Where It LivesAllBelgium (1)Brazil (1)Colombia (1)Denmark (1)Ecuador (1)Mexico (1)Mozambique (1)Norway (2)Portugal (1)Seychelles (1)South America (1)Taiwan (1)Venezuela (1)Conservation StatusAllCritically Endangered (1)Endangered (1)Least Concern (1)DietAllCarnivore (1)Filter Feeder (2)System (Realm)AllFreshwater (1)Marine (2)Terrestrial and Freshwater (1)Living or ExtinctAllYes (3)Relationship to PeopleAllHunted or Fished (3)CITES AppendixAllAppendix I (2)Appendix II (1)NatureServe RankAllG1 Critically Imperiled (1)G4 Apparently Secure (1)EcosystemAllAmazon Rainforest (1)Amazon Varzea Forest (1)Gulf of California (1)Show ResultsBrowseCompareSelect all 3Amazon River DolphinCetaceaGray WhaleCetaceaNorth Atlantic Right WhaleCetaceaConnectionsChild Taxon OfMammalia, Taxa Well-attested Source Catalogue of LifeParent Taxon OfAmazon River Dolphin, Species Well-attested Source Catalogue of LifeBalaenopteridae, Taxa Well-attested Source Catalogue of LifeDelphinidae, Taxa Well-attested Source Catalogue of LifeGray Whale, Species Well-attested Source Catalogue of LifeMonodontidae, Taxa Well-attested Source Catalogue of LifeNorth Atlantic Right Whale, Species Well-attested Source Catalogue of LifePhocoenidae, Taxa Well-attested Source Catalogue of LifePhyseteridae, Taxa Well-attested Source Catalogue of LifeSources1. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)tier 2Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ160, descriptionView the Source2. Catalogue of LifeSpecies 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of LifeTaxonomic Rank: OrderScientific Name: CetaceaMember Species/Taxa Count: 90View the Source3. Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank): Taxon metrics for CetaceaCatalogue of Life (ChecklistBank)Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCountQuote, Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCount"speciesExtantCount": 96View the Source4. Paleobiology Database: Taxon record for CetaceaPaleobiology DatabaseTaxon record, first appearance (firstapp_max_ma, early_interval)Quote, Taxon record, first appearance (firstapp_max_ma, early_interval)"taxon_name": "Cetacea" ... "firstapp_max_ma": 56 ... "early_interval": "Ypresian"View the SourceWikidata: CetaceaWikidata Q160, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the SourceCetacean (Wikipedia)In Group: Laurasiatherian Orders, LeadQuote, In Group: Laurasiatherian Orders, LeadCetaceans are marine mammals belonging to the infraorder Cetacea (), a secondarily aquatic clade under the order Artiodactyla that include whales, dolphins, porpoises and extinct groups such as Basilosaurus.View the SourceComments (0)No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.Sign in to join the discussion.Reader Challenges (0)No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.