Sealife guideThe Balaenopteridae familyThe taxonomy of marine species

Explore the taxonomy of the sea vertebrates including the cetaceans like the whales or the dolphins, the sea birds, the fish, the sharks and the sea turtles !
Cetaceans are marine mammals that include whales, dolphins, porpoises, and sperm whales. Evolving around 50 million years ago from land-dwelling ancestors, this large group is divided into two main suborders: mysticetes, or baleen whales, which filter their food from the water, and odontocetes, or toothed whales, which hunt fish, squid, and other prey using echolocation. Found in oceans all around the world, cetaceans play a vital role in maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems and continue to fascinate scientists and the public alike with their intelligence, complex social behavior, and remarkable long-distance migration abilities.
Dwarf minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata)
Dwarf minke whale
(Balaenoptera acutorostrata)
Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
Fin whale
(Balaenoptera physalus)
Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
Humpback whale
(Megaptera novaeangliae)

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Photo of the Day
Requin léopard (Triakis semifasciata)
Requin léopard
(Triakis semifasciata)