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Dolphin and Porpoise Species

All whales, dolphins, and porpoises are classified as cetaceans. They are then divided into the suborder Mysticeti for the large baleen whales and Odontoceti for the toothed whales, including the sperm whale, largest member of the suborder. There are nine families in the suborder: Physeteridae, Kogiidae, Monodontidae, Ziphiidae, Delphinidae, Pontoporiidae, Platanistidae, Iniidae, and Phocoenidae. Between them, the families contain thirty-six genera and seventy species.

Dolphins and porpoises are listed here. Generally, dolphins are larger and more streamlined; porpoises are shorter and stockier. Dolphins have larger and falcate ('hooked') dorsal fins, whereas porpoises have either triangular dorsal fins (without a curve), or no dorsal fin at all (in the case of the Finless Porpoise). Furthermore, most dolphins have a 'beak', while porpoises are 'beakless', with a rounded snout. Porpoises travel in smaller groups than dolphins and are less acrobatic at the surface.

Suborder Odontoceti, toothed whales
- Family Delphinidae, oceanic Dolphins
  - Genus Delphinus
    - Long-Beaked Common Dolphin, Delphinus capensis
    - Short-Beaked Common Dolphin, Delphinus delphis
  - Genus Tursiops
    - Bottlenose Dolphin, Tursiops truncatus
    - Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin, Tursiops aduncus
  - Genus Lissodelphis
    - Northern Rightwhale Dolphin, Lissodelphis borealis
    - Southern Rightwhale Dolphin, Lissiodelphis peronii
  - Genus Sotalia
    - Tucuxi, Sotalia fluviatilis
  - Genus Sousa
    - Indo-Pacific Hump-backed Dolphin, Sousa chinensis
      - Chinese White Dolphin (the Chinese variant), Sousa chinensis chinensis
    - Atlantic Humpbacked Dolphin, Sousa teuszii
  - Genus Stenella
    - Atlantic Spotted Dolphin, Stenella frontalis
    - Clymene Dolphin, Stenella clymene
    - Pantropical Spotted Dolphin, Stenella attenuata
    - Spinner Dolphin, Stenella longirostris
    - Striped Dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba
  - Genus Steno
    - Rough-Toothed Dolphin, Steno bredanensis
  - Genus Cephalorynchus
    - Chilean Dolphin, Cephalorhynchus eutropia
    - Commerson's Dolphin, Cephalorhynchus commersonii
    - Heaviside's Dolphin, Cephalorhynchus heavisidii
    - Hector's Dolphin, Cephalorhynchus hectori
  - Genus Grampus
    - Risso's Dolphin, Grampus griseus
  - Genus Lagenodelphis
    - Fraser's Dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei
  - Genus Lagenorhyncus
    - Atlantic White-Sided Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus acutus
    - Dusky Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obscurus
    - Hourglass Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus cruciger
    - Pacific White-Sided Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens
    - Peale's Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus australis
    - White-Beaked Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris
  - Genus Orcaella
    - Australian Snubfin Dolphin, Orcaella heinsohni
    - Irrawaddy Dolphin, Orcaella brevirostris
  - Genus Peponocephala
    - Melon-headed Whale, Peponocephala electra
  - Genus Orcinus
    - Killer Whale, Orcinus orca
  - Genus Feresa
    - Pygmy Killer Whale, Feresa attenuata
  - Genus Pseudorca
    - False Killer Whale, Pseudorca crassidens
  - Genus Globicephala
    - Long-finned Pilot Whale, Globicephala melas
    - Short-finned Pilot Whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus
- Family Platanistoidea, River Dolphins
  - Genus Inia
    - Boto (Amazon River Dolphin), Inia geoffrensis
  - Genus Lipotes
    - Chinese River Dolphin (Baiji), Lipotes vexillifer
  - Genus Platanista
    - Ganges River Dolphin, Platanista gangetica
    - Indus River Dolphin, Platanista minor
  - Genus Pontoporia
    - La Plata Dolphin (Franciscana), Pontoporia blainvillei

Six animals in the family Delphinidae are commonly called "whales" but are strictly speaking dolphins. They are sometimes called "blackfish".

Melon-headed Whale, Peponocephala electra
Killer Whale, Orcinus orca
Pygmy Killer Whale, Feresa attenuata
False Killer Whale, Psudoorca crassidens
Long-finned Pilot Whale, Globicephala melas
Short-finned Pilot Whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus

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