Dolphin-like

Dolphin-like
Common dolphins
Systematics
Class : Mammals (mammalia) Subclass : Higher mammals (Eutheria) Superordinate : Laurasiatheria Order : Whales (cetacea) Subordination : Toothed whales (Odontoceti) Superfamily : Dolphin-like
Scientific name
Delphinoidea
Gray , 1821
Familys
Pilot whales (Monodontidae) Porpoises (Phocoenidae) Dolphins (Delphinidae)

The dolphin-like (Delphinoidea) form a superfamily within the order of the whales (Cetacea). They summarize the three families of the gudgeon whales (Monodontidae), the porpoises (Phocoenidae) and the dolphins (Delphinidae).

Odobenocetops leptodon is a member of an extinct family (Odobenocetopsidae) of the dolphin-like from the Zancleum (approx. 5,332-3.6 mya ) of South America.

Despite considerable differences in body shape, these three groups show similarities in the construction of the skull and - compared to other whales - have a relatively unspecialized body structure . The close relationship of these three groups has also been confirmed by molecular genetic studies. It turned out that the gudgeon and porpoise are sister taxa and are more closely related to each other than to the dolphins. The monophyly of each of the three families could also be confirmed.

The dolphins are largely marine animals, although some species (such as the Sotalia or the porpoise ) are often found in freshwater. The various groups of river dolphins , previously considered close relatives of dolphins, are only distantly related to these three groups.

Web links

• Laura May-Collado and Ingi Agnarsson: Cytochrome b and Bayesian inference of whale phylogeny, PDF (387 kB)
• Michel C. Milinkovitch, Axel Meyer and Jeffrey R. Powell: Phylogeny of All Major Groups of Cetaceans Based on DNA Sequences from Three Mitochondrial Genes, PDF (1.59 MB)

Individual evidence

1. ^ The Paleobiology Database as of March 6, 2005