Marine Living

Delphinidae is the family of animals commonly known as the dolphins. The animals in the delphinidae are some of the most recognizable species of marine life, and includes species such as the bottlenose dolphin and (perhaps surprisingly) the killer whale (orca). Cetaceans in the Family Delphinidae are Odontocetes, or toothed whales. There are 36 species in this family.

The Delphinidae are generally fast, streamlined animals, and have cone-shaped teeth, an important characteristic that distinguishes them from porpoises. According to the Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals, the Delphindae can range in size from about 5 feet (e.g., the spinner dolphin) to about 30 feet in length (the killer whale, or orca).

Delphinids have a wide range of habitat, from coastal to pelagic areas. The Family Delphinidae includes these species: the bottlenose dolphin, the killer whale (orca), the Atlantic white-sided dolphin, Pacific white-sided dolphin, spinner dolphin, common dolphin, and pilot whales.

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