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Family Delphinidae - marine or true dolphins
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Class |
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Mammalia |
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No. of Genera in Ref. |
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Environment |
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Fresh : No |
Brackish : No |
Marine : Yes |
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Small to medium-sized cetaceans with conical teeth and a dorsal fin (the only delphinids without a dorsal fin, members of the genus Lissodelphis). This is the largest family of cetaceans, sometimes divided into a number of subfamilies, 2 of which occur in the Western Central Pacific: the Orcininae (killer whales and allies) includes beakless species usually possessing fewer teeth, while the Delphininae (true dolphins senso stricto) typically covers beaked species with many teeth. However, the melonheaded whale (Peponocephala electra) is beakless, but possesses many teeth and its assignment to the Orcininae should be considered preliminary. The humpback dolphins and rough-toothed dolphins are sometimes placed in a separate subfamily (Steninae) but are here kept within the Delphininae (Ref. 68590). |
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