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Matt Wund   cc-by-nc

Cetacea (Whales And Dolphins) is an order of mammals. There are 359 species of Whales And Dolphins, in 234 genera and 47 families. They rely on lift powered swimming to move around.

  • URI: https://eol.org/schema/terms/lift_based_swimming
  • Definition: Hydrofoils, or fins, are used to push against the water to create a normal force to provide thrust, propelling the animal through water. The reduction of fin cross-sectional area helps to minimize drag, and therefore increase efficiency. Regardless of size of the animal, at any particular speed, maximum possible lift is proportional to (wing area) x (speed)<sup>2</sup>. Dolphins and whales have large, horizontal caudal hydrofoils, while many fish and sharks have vertical caudal hydrofoils.
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EOL has data for 17 attributes, including:

Known occurrences, collected specimens and observations of whales and dolphins. View this species on GBIF
Matt Wund   cc-by-nc

Whales And Dolphin Habitats

The environments in which many whales and dolphins species are known to live. Select an environment to see its whales and dolphins species checklist.

whales and dolphins Habitats

The environments in which many whales and dolphins species are known to live. Select an environment to see its whales and dolphins species checklist.