Whales and dolphins differ in characteristics such as size. However, the killer whale is an exception, as it is considered by science to be a dolphin.
Is an orca a whale or a dolphin? This is a question that requires a careful look at the science. The scientific community was intrigued by the killer whale intelligence and the dolphin skills, Generally. And experts help understand the difference between these animals.
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The researcher Marcos César de Oliveira Santos, of the Oceanographic Institute (IO) of the USP and author of the books Whales and dolphins (1996) e Whales and dolphins on the coast of São Paulo: stories that tell a beautiful story (2021) even revealed to the Jornal from USP that, although the common nomenclature is “orca whale,” the orca is considered a type of dolphin.
So here we go: the orca is actually a dolphin. The professor explains that this confusion occurs because the term “whale” is used in popular terms to refer to large aquatic animals. However, when we talk about science, size is not an adequate characteristic for classifying organisms into groups.
In general, in popular classification, species longer than 4 meters are called whales, and smaller ones are called porpoises and dolphins. However, we have exceptions, such as killer whales.
In this case the definitive characteristic to make the comparison is the presence of teeth. The researcher says that whales (technically called baleen whales) have fins or bristles in their mouths to capture food.
Dolphins, called odontocete cetaceans, have teeth. Since orcas have this characteristic, they technically belong to the dolphin group, as the researcher says.
What is the difference between a whale and a dolphin?
According to Whale and Dolphin Conservation, all whales, dolphins and porpoises are part of the group of animals known as cetaceans (derived from the ancient Greek word for “sea monster”).
Furthermore, both whales and dolphins are mammals: they are both warm-blooded, breathe oxygen and nurse their young with milk. Both also play an important role in the ocean ecosystem, helping to regulate the food chain and maintain a healthy balance in the ocean.
The organization explains that, in addition to size (since whales are generally larger than dolphins and have a slimmer body), there is a difference in social structure: the whale tends to be more solitary, while dolphins have a more more social. they usually travel in groups.
Another difference between whales and dolphins is that the dorsal fin of whales is generally larger and straighter. In some dolphins, the dorsal fin may be curved or more triangular. We also notice a difference in that whales tend to travel longer distances during their migrations, while dolphins generally stay closer to shore.
Source: USP Journal, American oceans, Whale and dolphin conservation
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