Toothed Whales

This diverse group of marine mammals includes orcas, sperm whales, dolphins and porpoises that rely on sound to navigate, communicate, and hunt for prey. Learn what makes each of the species unique and how to protect them. These intelligent creatures play a vital role in marine ecosystems, but many face threats from noise pollution, entanglement, and declining prey. Learn what makes toothed whales unique and how we can protect them.

Beluga or White Whale

BELUGA or WHITE WHALE Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas, 1776) DERIVATION: from the Greek […]

Blainville’s Beaked Whale

BLAINVILLE’S BEAKED WHALE Mesoplodon densirostris (Blainville, 1817) Blainville’s beaked whales with a […]

Cuvier’s Beaked Whale

CUVIER’S BEAKED WHALE Ziphius cavirostris G. Cuvier, 1823 Order: Cetacea Suborder: Odontoceti […]

Melon-Headed Whale

MELON-HEADED WHALE Peponocephala electra (Gray, 1846) Kingdom – Animalia Phylum – Chordata […]

Narwhal

Narwhal – Tusked Whale of the Arctic NARWHAL – Tusked Whale of […]

Orca or Killer Whale

ORCA or KILLER WHALE Orcinus orca (Linnaeus, 1758) DERIVATION: orcinus may be from […]

Pilot Whale

Sperm Whale

Sperm Whale, Dwarf

DWARF SPERM WHALE Kogia sima (Owen, 1866) Kingdom – Animalia Phylum – […]

Sperm Whale, Pygmy

PYGMY SPERM WHALE Kogia breviceps (deBlainville, 1838) Kingdom – Animalia Phylum – […]

True’s Beaked Whale

TRUE’S BEAKED WHALE Mesoplodon mirus True, 1913 DERIVATION: from the Latin mesos […]

Baleen Whales

Baleen whales are the largest animals on Earth, yet they feed on some of the smallest—tiny krill and plankton. Using comb-like baleen plates instead of teeth, these whales filter massive amounts of water each day to feed. Species like the blue whale, humpback, and gray whale play a critical role in nutrient cycling and carbon capture, helping to fight climate change. But their survival is at risk from ship strikes, noise pollution, and habitat degradation. Discover how these gentle giants support ocean health—and how we can support them in return.

Blue Whale

BLUE WHALE Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus, 1758) DERIVATION: from the Latin balaena for […]

Bowhead Whale

Bowhead Whale BOWHEAD WHALE Balaena mysticetus Linnaeus, 1758 DERIVATION: from the Latin […]

Fin Whale

FIN WHALE Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus, 1758) Also called Razorback, Finner, Finback, Common […]

Gray Whale

GRAY WHALE Eschrichtius robustus (Lilljeborg, 1861) DERIVATION: Eschricht refers to a 19th […]

Humpback Whale

HUMPBACK WHALE       Megaptera novaeangliae (Borowski, 1781) DERIVATION: from the […]

Minke Whale

MINKE WHALE Balaenoptera acutorostrata Lacépède, 1804 DERIVATION: from the Latin acutus for […]

North Atlantic Right Whale

NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE Eubalaena glacialis (Müller, 1776) DERIVATION: from the Greek eu for […]

North Pacific Right Whale

NORTH PACIFIC RIGHT WHALE Eubalaena japonica (Lacépède, 1818) DERIVATION: from the Greek eu for […]

Omura’s Whale

OMURA’S WHALE Balaenoptera cf. B. omurai Wada, Oishi, and Yamada, 2003 (nomenclature […]

Sei Whale

SEI WHALE Balaenoptera borealis Lesson, 1828 DERIVATION: from the Latin borealis for northern. Also […]

Southern Right Whale

SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALE Eubalaena australis (Desmoulins, 1822) DERIVATION: from the Latin australis for southern. […]