2007-06-28 15:45:55 · 8 answers · asked by Skybee 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
They are not exactly "whales" but they are all in the same order (Cetacea).
Dolphins are in the Delphinidae family along with Orca, Pilot Whales, False Killer Whales and so on and so forth.
To answer your question... both yes and no.
2007-06-28 15:52:41 · answer #1 · answered by The Cheshire 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Analogy. A subfamily of wasps called hornets. A yellow jacket is a wasp but not a hornet. A gray whale is a whale but not a dolphin. Similarly a toad is a group of anura or frogs. A toad is not a frog, but it is anura or the order that all toads and frogs are in. Dolphins are whales, but not all whales are dolphins. So you have a group within a group and an umbrella above that, cetaceans, that includes them all. You could argue that technically a common bottlenose dolphin is not a whale because then why did you create that subcategory at all if it is interchangable? What's the point of that. So argue a hornet is not a wasp but if it is Vespula or in a common suborder or supra order or superfamily, etc. what have you. Just an analogy to make a point. One more, chelonians are turtles, tortoises, and terrapins collectively. But is a tortoise a turtle and vice versa? Maybe. A dolphin being a kind of whale.
Edit: wait, more research. It goes Vespidae (family) then Vespinae (subfamily) and then genus Vespa for "true hornets" Vespula just a genus of wasps. Yellow jackets are Vespinae but not Vespa, well, they are not "true hornets." It was just an anology, but not 100% correct. Best thing to do is go to those animal websites where you can "Ask an Expert" an animal expert, and ask what is called a taxonomist. They specialize in families, orders, subfamilies, supraorders, all that jazz. Classifying animals.
Edit#2: A link!! Just type in "ask an expert" in a yahoo subject search, click on the first one that comes up, click on animals, scroll down to Ocean Animals. Not sure this link will work.
2007-06-28 23:14:32 · answer #2 · answered by Professor Armitage 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are both aquatic mammals but dolphins are not whales. If the were they'd be called whales, not dolphins.
2007-06-28 22:48:43 · answer #3 · answered by Lady Geologist 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is apparently an open question amongst zoologists - see the reference below.
Y'know, you could have just done what I did - type "dolphin whale" into google.
2007-06-28 22:53:06 · answer #4 · answered by David L 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, but killer "whales" are dolphins. That might be where you're confused.
2007-06-28 22:49:54 · answer #5 · answered by Taz 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
dolphins and whales are both cetaceans, but dolphins are not whales
2007-06-28 23:00:11 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. But both are mammals that live in the sea.
2007-06-28 22:49:07 · answer #7 · answered by SallyJM 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are of the same order; Cetacean.
2007-06-28 22:51:41 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋