The Toothed whale reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Toothed whale

Toothed whales
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Cetacea Suborder: Odontoceti
Families
Delphinidae Monodontidae Phocoenidae Physeteridae Kogiidae Platanistoidea Ziphiidae

The toothed whales (systematic name Odontoceti) form a suborder of the cetaceans. The suborder contains six families:

• Delphinidae (oceanic dolphins)
• Monodontidae (Beluga and Narwhal)
• Phocoenidae (porpoises)
• Physeteridae (the common Sperm Whale)
• Kogiidae (the Dwarf and Pygmy Sperm Whales)
• Platanistoidea (river dolphins, sometimes characterized as a superfamily)
• Ziphiidae (beaked whales)

As the name suggests, the suborder is characterized by having teeth (rather than baleen as do animals in the other suborder of cetaceans, mysticeti). Not all species are believed to use their teeth for feeding. For instance, the Sperm Whale is likely to use its teeth for aggression and showmanship.

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