List of cetaceans

Cetaceans are a fascinating group of animals that live in the water, including whales, dolphins, and porpoises. There are 94 different species of cetaceans in the world. They are split into two main groups: toothed whales and baleen whales. These two groups separated from each other around 50 million years ago during a time called the Eocene.

All cetaceans started out as land animals that walked on four legs, just like many mammals today. Over millions of years, they adapted to life in the ocean. Sadly, many whale populations became much smaller in the 20th century because of whaling. To help protect them, an international group called the International Whaling Commission stopped most hunting in 1982. Even today, smaller cetaceans can still be in danger when they get caught in fishing nets by accident.

Conventions

This is a list of all the living species of cetaceans, which include whales, dolphins, and porpoises. The list is organized by their family tree, showing groups like parvorders, superfamilies, families, and more. For each species, you will find seven details: the common name, the scientific name, how the species is doing (its conservation status), an estimate of how many are left in the world, a map showing where they live, their weight and a picture of their shape compared to a human, and a photograph.

The conservation status information comes from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. When we know how many of a species are left, we list that number. If we don’t have a special note saying otherwise, the numbers come from the IUCN Red List as well.

Mysticeti: baleen whales

Main article: Baleen whale

Baleen whales, also called whalebone whales or great whales, are a group known for having special plates called baleen that help them filter food from the water. They also have two blowholes on top of their heads.

Family Balaenidae: right whales

Family Balaenopteridae: rorquals

Family Cetotheriidae: pygmy right whale

Genus Balaena Linnaeus, 1758 – one species
Common name	Scientific name	IUCN Red List status	Global population estimate	Range	Size	Picture
Bowhead whale	Balaena mysticetus Linnaeus, 1758	LC^IUCN	43,000		60 t (66 short tons)
Genus Eubalaena Gray, 1864 – three species
Common name	Scientific name	IUCN Red List status	Global population estimate	Range	Size	Picture
North Atlantic right whale	Eubalaena glacialis Müller, 1776	CR^IUCN	350		40–80 t (44–88 short tons)
North Pacific right whale	Eubalaena japonica Lacépède, 1818	EN^IUCN	404–2,108		60–80 t (66–88 short tons)
Southern right whale	Eubalaena australis Desmoulins, 1822	LC^IUCN	13,600		40–80 t (44–88 short tons)

Genus Balaenoptera – nine species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Blue whale	Balaenoptera musculus Linnaeus, 1758	EN^IUCN	5,000–15,000		50–150 t (55–165 short tons)
Bryde's whale	Balaenoptera brydei Olsen, 1913	LC^IUCN	90,000–100,000		14–30 t (15–33 short tons)
Eden's whale	Balaenoptera edeni Anderson, 1879	LC^IUCN	Unknown		Unknown
Common minke whale	Balaenoptera acutorostrata Lacépède, 1804	LC^IUCN	200,000		2–4 t (2.2–4.4 short tons)
Rice's whale	Balaenoptera ricei Rosel et al., 2021	CR^IUCN	30–100		~13.9 t (15.3 short tons)
Fin whale	Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758	VU^IUCN	100,000		30–80 t (33–88 short tons)
Omura's whale	Balaenoptera omurai Wada et al., 2003	DD^IUCN	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Sei whale	Balaenoptera borealis Lesson, 1828	EN^IUCN	80,000		20–25 t (22–28 short tons)
Antarctic minke whale	Balaenoptera bonaerensis Burmeister, 1867	NT^IUCN	515,000		6–10 t (6.6–11.0 short tons)
Genus Megaptera Gray, 1846 – one species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Humpback whale	Megaptera novaeangliae Borowski, 1781	LC^IUCN	84,000		25–30 t (28–33 short tons)
Genus Eschrichtius Gray, 1864 – one species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Gray whale	Eschrichtius robustus Lilljeborg, 1861	LC^IUCN	21,000		15–40 t (17–44 short tons)

Genus Caperea Gray, 1864 – one species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Pygmy right whale	Caperea marginata Gray, 1846	LC^IUCN	Unknown		3–3.5 t (3.3–3.9 short tons)

Odontoceti: toothed whales

Main article: Toothed whale

Toothed whales, called Odontoceti, have teeth instead of special plates called baleen. They are active hunters and eat fish, squid, and sometimes other sea animals.

Family Delphinidae: oceanic dolphins

Family Iniidae: river dolphins

Main article: Iniidae

This family has one group with two kinds of river dolphins.

Family Kogiidae: dwarf and pygmy sperm whales

Family Lipotidae: baiji

Main article: Lipotidae

The Lipotidae family has only the baiji. Scientists think it split from oceanic dolphins a long time ago. The baiji was declared missing in 2006 after no ones were found during a study.

Family Monodontidae: narwhal and beluga

Family Phocoenidae: porpoises

Family Physeteridae: sperm whale

Family Platanistidae: South Asian river dolphins

Main article: Platanistidae

South Asian river dolphins were once thought to be one kind, but scientists now believe there are two different species based on studies of their skulls and other features.

Family Pontoporiidae: La Plata dolphin

Main article: Pontoporiidae

The La Plata dolphin is the only species in its family. It has a long beak for its small body size and lives near the east coast of South America. These dolphins are sometimes called “the white ghost” by fishermen because of their white color and tendency to avoid people.

Family Ziphiidae: beaked whales

See also: Ziphiidae

Beaked whales are at least 24 different kinds of whales. They have a special way of feeding and unique features like extended lower jaws and special skull shapes.

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Genus Aethalodelphis Galatius et al., 2025– two species
Dusky dolphin	Aethalodelphis obscurus Gray, 1828	LC^IUCN	Unknown		100 kg (220 lb)
Pacific white-sided dolphin	Aethalodelphis obliquidens Gill, 1865	LC^IUCN	1,000,000		85–150 kg (187–331 lb)
Genus Cephalorhynchus Gray, 1846 – six species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Peale's dolphin	Cephalorhynchus australis Peale, 1848	LC^IUCN	Unknown		115 kg (254 lb)
Hourglass dolphin	Cephalorhynchus cruciger Quoy & Gaimard, 1824	LC^IUCN	140,000		90–120 kg (200–260 lb)
Chilean dolphin	Cephalorhynchus eutropia Gray, 1846	NT^IUCN	Unknown		60 kg (130 lb)
Commerson's dolphin	Cephalorhynchus commersonii Lacépède, 1804	LC^IUCN	22,000		35–60 kg (77–132 lb)
Heaviside's dolphin	Cephalorhynchus heavisidii Gray, 1828	NT^IUCN	Unknown		40–75 kg (88–165 lb)
Hector's dolphin	Cephalorhynchus hectori Van Beneden, 1881	EN^IUCN (subspecies Maui dolphin CR^IUCN)	7,381 (subspecies Maui dolphin 57–75 in 2016)		35–60 kg (77–132 lb)
Genus Delphinus – one species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Common dolphin	Delphinus delphis Linnaeus, 1758	LC^IUCN	Unknown		70–150 kg (150–330 lb)
Genus Feresa – one species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Pygmy killer whale	Feresa attenuata Gray, 1875	LC^IUCN	Unknown		160–350 kg (350–770 lb)
Genus Globicephala – two species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Long-finned pilot whale	Globicephala melas Traill, 1809	LC^IUCN	Unknown	(green)	1.8–3.5 t (2.0–3.9 short tons)
Short-finned pilot whale	Globicephala macrorhynchus Gray, 1846	LC^IUCN	Unknown	(dark blue)	1–4 t (1.1–4.4 short tons)
Genus Grampus – one species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Risso's dolphin	Grampus griseus G. Cuvier, 1812	LC^IUCN	Unknown		300 kg (660 lb)
Genus Lagenodelphis – one species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Fraser's dolphin	Lagenodelphis hosei Fraser, 1956	LC^IUCN	Unknown		209 kg (461 lb)
Genus Lagenorhynchus Gray, 1846 – one species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
White-beaked dolphin	Lagenorhynchus albirostris Gray, 1846	LC^IUCN	100,000		180 kg (400 lb)
Genus Leucopleurus Gray, 1866 – one species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Atlantic white-sided dolphin	Leucopleurus acutus Gray, 1828	LC^IUCN	200,000–300,000		235 kg (518 lb)
Genus Lissodelphis – two species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Northern right whale dolphin	Lissodelphis borealis Peale, 1848	LC^IUCN	400,000		115 kg (254 lb)
Southern right whale dolphin	Lissodelphis peronii Lacépède, 1804	LC^IUCN	Unknown		60–100 kg (130–220 lb)
Genus Orcaella Gray, 1866 – two species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Australian snubfin dolphin	Orcaella heinsohni Beasley, Robertson & Arnold, 2005	VU^IUCN	9,000–10,000		130–145 kg (287–320 lb)
Irrawaddy dolphin	Orcaella brevirostris Gray, 1866	EN^IUCN	78–102		130 kg (290 lb)
Genus Orcinus – one species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Orca	Orcinus orca Linnaeus, 1758	DD^IUCN	100,000		4.5 t (5.0 short tons)
Genus Peponocephala – one species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Melon-headed whale	Peponocephala electra Gray, 1846	LC^IUCN	Unknown		225 kg (496 lb)
Genus Pseudorca – one species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
False killer whale	Pseudorca crassidens Owen, 1846	NT^IUCN	Unknown		1.5–2 t (1.7–2.2 short tons)
Genus Sousa – four species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Atlantic humpback dolphin	Sousa teuszii Kükenthal, 1892	CR^IUCN	1,500		100–150 kg (220–330 lb)
Australian humpback dolphin	Sousa sahulensis Jefferson & Rosenbaum, 2014	VU^IUCN	10,000		230–250 kg (510–550 lb)
Indian Ocean humpback dolphin	Sousa plumbea Cuvier, 1829	EN^IUCN	Unknown
Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin	Sousa chinensis Osbeck, 1765	VU^IUCN	Unknown		250–280 kg (550–620 lb)
Genus Sotalia – two species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Guiana dolphin	Sotalia guianensis Bénéden, 1864	NT^IUCN	Unknown		35–45 kg (77–99 lb)
Tucuxi	Sotalia fluviatilis Gervais & Deville, 1853	EN^IUCN	Unknown		35–45 kg (77–99 lb)
Genus Stenella Gray, 1866 – five species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Atlantic spotted dolphin	Stenella frontalis Cuvier, 1829	LC^IUCN	100,000		100 kg
Clymene dolphin	Stenella clymene Gray, 1846	LC^IUCN	Unknown		75–80 kg (165–176 lb)
Pantropical spotted dolphin	Stenella attenuata Gray, 1846	LC^IUCN	3,000,000		100 kg (220 lb)
Spinner dolphin	Stenella longirostris Gray, 1828	LC^IUCN	Unknown		90 kg (200 lb)
Striped dolphin	Stenella coeruleoalba Meyen, 1833	LC^IUCN	2,000,000		100 kg (220 lb)
Genus Steno – one species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Rough-toothed dolphin	Steno bredanensis Lesson, 1828	LC^IUCN	150,000		100–135 kg (220–298 lb)
Genus Tursiops – three species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Common bottlenose dolphin	Tursiops truncatus Montagu, 1821	LC^IUCN	600,000		150–650 kg (330–1,430 lb)
Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin	Tursiops aduncus Ehrenberg, 1833	NT^IUCN	Unknown		230 kg (510 lb)
Tamanend's bottlenose dolphin	Tursiops erebennus Cope, 1865	NE	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size
Genus Inia – two species
Amazon river dolphin	Inia geoffrensis Blainville, 1817	EN^IUCN	Unknown		150 kg (330 lb)
Araguaian river dolphin	Inia araguaiaensis Hrbek, Da Silva, Dutra, Farias, 2014	NE	Unknown	Araguaian river dolphin in blue	150 kg (330 lb)

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Size
Genus Kogia – two species
Dwarf sperm whale	Kogia sima Owen, 1866	LC^IUCN	Unknown	250 kg (550 lb)
Pygmy sperm whale	Kogia breviceps Blainville, 1838	LC^IUCN	Unknown	400 kg (880 lb)

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Genus Lipotes – one species
Baiji	Lipotes vexillifer Miller, 1918	CR^IUCN	0–13		130 kg (290 lb)

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Genus Delphinapterus – one species
Beluga	Delphinapterus leucas Pallas, 1776	LC^IUCN	136,000		1.5 t (1.7 short tons)
Genus Monodon – one species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Narwhal	Monodon monoceros Linnaeus, 1758	LC^IUCN	123,000		900–1,500 kg (2,000–3,300 lb)

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Genus Neophocaena – two or three species
Indo-Pacific finless porpoise	Neophocaena phocaenoidesCuvier, 1829	VU^IUCN	Unknown		30–45 kg (66–99 lb)
Yangtze finless porpoise	Neophocaena asiaeorientalisCuvier, 1829	EN^IUCN (subspecies Yangtze finless porpoise CR^IUCN)	Unknown (subspecies Yangtze finless porpoise 1,012 in 2018)		30–45 kg (66–99 lb)
Genus Phocoena – four species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Burmeister's porpoise	Phocoena spinipinnisBurmeister, 1865	NT^IUCN	Unknown		50–75 kg (110–165 lb)
Harbour porpoise	Phocoena phocoenaLinnaeus, 1758	LC^IUCN	700,000		75 kg (165 lb)
Spectacled porpoise	Phocoena dioptricaLahille, 1912	LC^IUCN	Unknown		60–84 kg (132–185 lb)
Vaquita	Phocoena sinusNorris & McFarland, 1958	CR^IUCN	12		50 kg (110 lb)
Genus Phocoenoides – one species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Dall's porpoise	Phocoenoides dalliTrue, 1885	LC^IUCN	1,100,000		130–200 kg (290–440 lb)

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Genus Physeter – one species
Sperm whale	Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758	VU^IUCN	200,000–2,000,000		25–50 t (28–55 short tons)

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size
Genus Platanista – two species
Ganges river dolphin	Platanista gangetica (Lebeck, 1801)	EN^IUCN	3,500	(orange)	200 kg (440 lb)
Indus river dolphin	Platanista minor Owen, 1853	EN^IUCN	1,450	(blue)	200 kg (440 lb)

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Genus Pontoporia – one species
La Plata dolphin	Pontoporia blainvillei Gervais & d'Orbigny, 1844	VU^IUCN	4,000–4,500		50 kg (110 lb)

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Genus Berardius – three species
Arnoux's beaked whale	Berardius arnuxii Duvernoy, 1851	LC^IUCN	Unknown		6-10 t (6.6-11 short tons)
Baird's beaked whale	Berardius bairdii Stejneger, 1883	LC^IUCN	Unknown		8-13 t (8.8-14 short tons)
Sato's beaked whale	Berardius minimus Yamada et al., 2019	NT^IUCN	Unknown	North Pacific	c. ~2-3 t (2.2-3.3 short tons)
Genus Tasmacetus – one species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Shepherd's beaked whale	Tasmacetus shepherdi Oliver, 1937	DD^IUCN	Unknown		2-3.2 t (2.2-3.5 short tons)
Genus Ziphius – one species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Cuvier's beaked whale	Ziphius cavirostris G. Cuvier, 1823	LC^IUCN	100,000		2–3 t (2.2–3.3 short tons)
Subfamily Hyperoodontinae – three genera, 17 species
Genus Hyperoodon – two species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Northern bottlenose whale	Hyperoodon ampullatus Forster, 1770	NT^IUCN	10,000		5–10 t (5.5–11.0 short tons)
Southern bottlenose whale	Hyperoodon planifrons Flower, 1882	LC^IUCN	500,000		6 t (6.6 short tons)
Genus Indopacetus – one species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Tropical bottlenose whale	Indopacetus pacificus Longman, 1926	LC^IUCN	Unknown		3.5–4 t (3.9–4.4 short tons)
Genus Mesoplodon Gervais, 1850 – 15 species
Common name	Scientific name	Status	Population	Distribution	Size	Picture
Andrews' beaked whale	Mesoplodon bowdoini Andrews, 1908	DD^IUCN	Unknown		1 t (1.1 short tons)
Blainville's beaked whale	Mesoplodon densirostris Blainville, 1817	LC^IUCN	Unknown		0.8-1 t (0.9-1.1 short tons)
Deraniyagala's beaked whale	Mesoplodon hotaula P. E. P. Deraniyagala, 1963	DD^IUCN	Unknown	Indian and South Pacific	4–5 m (13–16 ft)	[cetacean needed]
Gervais' beaked whale	Mesoplodon europaeus Gervais, 1855	LC^IUCN	Unknown		0.8-1.2 t (0.9-1.3 short tons)
Ginkgo-toothed beaked whale	Mesoplodon ginkgodens Nishiwaki & Kamiya, 1958	DD^IUCN	Unknown		1-2 t (1.1-2.2 short tons)
Gray's beaked whale	Mesoplodon grayi von Haast, 1876	LC^IUCN	Unknown		1.5 t (1.7 short tons)
Hector's beaked whale	Mesoplodon hectori Gray, 1871	DD^IUCN	Unknown		1 t (1.1 short tons)
Hubbs' beaked whale	Mesoplodon carlhubbsi Moore, 1963	DD^IUCN	Unknown		1.4 t (1.5 short tons)
Perrin's beaked whale	Mesoplodon perrini Dalebout, Mead, Baker, Baker, & van Helding, 2002	EN^IUCN	500–1,164	North Pacific	1.3–1.5 t (1.4–1.7 short tons)
Pygmy beaked whale	Mesoplodon peruvianus Reyes, Mead, and Van Waerebeek, 1991	LC^IUCN	Unknown		800 kg (1,800 lb)
Ramari's beaked whale	Mesoplodon eueu Carroll et al, 2021	DD^IUCN	Unknown	(red circle)	Unknown
Sowerby's beaked whale	Mesoplodon bidens Sowerby, 1804	LC^IUCN	Unknown		1–1.3 t (1.1–1.4 short tons)
Spade-toothed whale	Mesoplodon traversii, syn. Mesoplodon bahamondi Gray, 1874	DD^IUCN	Unknown		1.2 t (1.3 short tons)
Stejneger's beaked whale	Mesoplodon stejnegeri True, 1885	NT^IUCN	Unknown		1.5 t (1.7 short tons)
Strap-toothed whale	Mesoplodon layardii Gray, 1865	LC^IUCN	Unknown		2 t (2.2 short tons)
True's beaked whale	Mesoplodon mirus True, 1913	LC^IUCN	Unknown	(North Atlantic only; map includes range of M. eueu in Indian Ocean)	1.4 t (1.5 short tons)