Home
Whale Species
Whale Facts
Whale Threats
Whale Hunting
Whale Sounds
Site Map
Media Sources

Which Whale Species Would You Like to Get to Know?

Phylogenetic Tree of the Order Cetacea

How are the whale species classified? First, I would like to give you a general taxonomic overview.

Order CETACEA

The order Cetacea is split up into 3 sub-orders. Then, these sub-orders are sub-divided into families. Finally, biologically related species and sub-species are grouped into these families.

Sub-order ARCHAEOCETI (ancient whales)

Sub-order MYSTICETI (Baleen whales)

Sub-order ODONTOCETI (Toothed whales)

The sub-order ARCHAEOCETI is discussed in the whale evolution section (under construction).

Sub-order MYSTICETI

The baleen whales are characterized by their baleen plates (instead of teeth) and their two blowholes. Females always grow larger than males. Most of these whales are bigger than Odontocete species.

This sub-order includes 4 families and 15 species:

Family Balaenidae

Eubalaena glacialis - North Atlantic Right whale
Eubalaena australis - Southern Right Whale
Eubalaena japonica - North Pacific Right Whale
Balaena mysticetus - Bowhead Whale

Family Neobalaenidae

Caperea marginata - Pygmy Right Whale

Family Escherichtiidae

Escherichtius robustus - Gray Whale

Family Balaenopteridae

Megaptera novaengliea - Humpback Whale
Balaenoptera acutorostrata - Minke Whale
Balaenoptera bonarensis - Antarctic minke whale
Balaenoptera edeni - Eden's whale
Balaenoptera brydei - Bryde`s whale
Balaenoptera omurai - Omura's Whale
Balaenoptera borealis - Sei Whale
Balaenoptera physalis - Fin Whale
Balaenoptera musculus - Blue Whale


Return from Whale Species to Discover Whales


footer for whale species page