Types of Dolphins

Q: How did Flipper get his name?
A: Because he keeps on doing flips.

There are many different types of Dolphins.. and even some which are whales, although strictly speaking: dolphins!

• Suborder Odontoceti, toothed whales
  • Family Delphinidae, oceanic Dolphins
    • Genus Delphinus
      • Long-Beaked Common Dolphin, Delphinus capensis
      • Short-Beaked Common Dolphin, Delphinus delphis
    • Genus Tursiops
      • Bottlenose Dolphin, Tursiops truncatus
    • Genus Lissodelphis
      • Northern Rightwhale Dolphin, Lissodelphis borealis
      • Southern Rightwhale Dolphin, Lissiodelphis peronii
    • Genus Sotalia
      • Tucuxi, Sotalia fluviatilis
    • Genus Sousa
      • Indo-Pacific Hump-backed Dolphin, Sousa chinensis
        • Chinese White Dolphin (the Chinese variant), Sousa chinensis chinensis
      • Atlantic Humpbacked Dolphin, Sousa teuszii
    • Genus Stenella
      • Atlantic Spotted Dolphin, Stenella frontalis
      • Clymene Dolphin, Stenella clymene
      • Pantropical Spotted Dolphin, Stenella attenuata
      • Spinner Dolphin, Stenella longirostris
      • Striped Dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba
    • Genus Steno
      • Rough-Toothed Dolphin, Steno bredanensis
    • Genus Cephalorynchus
      • Chilean Dolphin, Cephalorhynchus eutropia
      • Commerson's Dolphin, Cephalorhynchus commersonii
      • Heaviside's Dolphin, Cephalorhynchus heavisidii
      • Hector's Dolphin, Cephalorhynchus hectori
    • Genus Grampus
      • Risso's Dolphin, Grampus griseus
    • Genus Lagenodelphis
      • Fraser's Dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei
    • Genus Lagenorhyncus
      • Atlantic White-Sided Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus acutus
      • Dusky Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obscurus
      • Hourglass Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus cruciger
      • Pacific White-Sided Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens
      • Peale's Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus australis
      • White-Beaked Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris
    • Genus Orcaella
      • Australian Snubfin Dolphin, Orcaella heinsohni
      • Irrawaddy Dolphin, Orcaella brevirostris
    • Genus Peponocephalia
      • Melon-headed Whale, Peponocephalia electra
    • Genus Orcinus
      • Killer Whale, Orcinus orca
    • Genus Feresa
      • Pygmy Killer Whale, Feresa attenuata
    • Genus Pseudorca
      • False Killer Whale, Pseudorca crassidens
    • Genus Globicephala
      • Long-finned Pilot Whale, Globicephala melas
      • Short-finned Pilot Whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus
  • Family Platanistoidea, River Dolphins
    • Genus Inia
      • Boto (Amazon River Dolphin), Inia geoffrensis
    • Genus Lipotes
      • Chinese River Dolphin (Baiji), Lipotes vexillife
    • Genus Platanista
      • Ganges River Dolphin, Platanista gangetica
      • Indus River Dolphin, Platanista minor
    • Genus Pontoporia
      • La Plata Dolphin (Franciscana), Pontoporia blainvillei

Six animals in the family Delphinidae are commonly called "whales" but are strictly speaking dolphins. They are sometimes called "blackfish":

• Melon-headed Whale, Peponocephalia electra
• Killer Whale, Orcinus orca
• Pygmy Killer Whale, Feresa attenuata
• False Killer Whale, Psudoorca crassidens
• Long-finned Pilot Whale, Globicephala melas
• Short-finned Pilot Whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus

Dolphin leaping in the air.

Q: Does a dolphin ever do something by accident?
A: No, they do everything on porpoise!