Taxonomic Classification for Dolphins

Chinese River Dolphin
Taxonomic Classification
Kingdom :Animilia
Phylum :Chordata
Class :Mammalia
Subclass:Eutheria
Order :Cetacea
Suborder:Odontoceti
Family :Lipotidae
Genus :Lipotes
Species :L. vexillifer

Bottlenose Dolphin
Taxonomic Classification
Kingdom : Animilia(Animals)
Phylum : Chordata(Chordates)
Class : Mammalia(Mammals)
Subclass: Eutheria
Order : Cetacea(Cetaceans)
Suborder: Odontoceti(Odontocetes)
Family : Delphinidae(Marine Dolphins)
Genus : Tursiops
Species : truncatus

        Most of the dolphins including Tursiops truncatus (bottlenose dolphins) are cetaceans. The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Cetaceans are the mammals best adapted to aquatic life. The Order Cetacea is further divided into two suborders, Odontoceti (toothed whales) and Mysticeti (baleen whales). Mysticetes do not have teeth but have baleen plates suspended from the roof of their mouth and have two nasal openings (blowholes). Odontocetes (which include bottlenose dolphins) have anywhere from 2-250 teeth and a single nasal opening.

The Boto, or Amazon River Dolphin
• Suborder Odontoceti, toothed whales
o Family Delphinidae, oceanic dolphins
 Genus Delphinus
 Long-Beaked Common Dolphin, Delphinus capensis
 Short-Beaked Common Dolphin, Delphinus delphis
 Genus Tursiops
 Common 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
 Costero, Sotalia guianensis
 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 (Orca), 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
 Genus †Australodelphis
 †Australodelphis mirus

o Superfamily Platanistoidea
 Family Platanistidae
 Ganges and Indus River Dolphin, Platanista gangetica with two subspecies
 Ganges River Dolphin (or Susu), Platanista gangetica gangetica
 Indus River Dolphin (or Bhulan), Platanista gangetica minor
 Family Iniidae
 Amazon River Dolphin (or Boto), Inia geoffrensis
 Family Lipotidae
 Chinese River Dolphin (or Baiji), Lipotes vexillifer (possibly extinct, since December 2006)
 Family Pontoporiidae
 La Plata Dolphin (or Franciscana), Pontoporia blainvillei

         Six species in the family Delphinidae are commonly called "whales" but genetically are dolphins. They are sometimes called blackfish.
• Melon-headed Whale, Peponocephala electra
• Killer Whale (Orca), Orcinus orca
• Pygmy Killer Whale, Feresa attenuata
• False Killer Whale, Pseudorca crassidens
• Long-finned Pilot Whale, Globicephala melas
• Short-finned Pilot Whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus