i think that a Mammal dolphin is the name of the animal.. where as a dolphin fish is a kind of fish who is righthere and do i make myself clear?
2007-08-22 08:48:46 · 10 answers · asked by betafishj 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
You are right and most of your question was addressed. But here's my two cents, having taught Marine Mammals at a university:
As we learn more about the evolutionary history and relationships between all cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises), using molecular and fossil data, we see two distinct evolutionary branches that share a common ancestor: the toothed whales (odontocetes) and the baleen whales (mysticetes). Everything called a dolphin and porpoise is an odontocete.
Most of these animals have gotten their names before we knew much about this "family tree". It now seems that some things we call porpoises are actually more closely related to things we call dolphins than other porpoises. The important point here is that they are all toothed whales (odontocetes), which are mammals that evolved from a terrestrial ancestor about 50 million years ago.
2007-08-23 08:24:27 · answer #1 · answered by Katia V 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, porpoises are dolphins but not all dolphins are porpoises. They are all mammals. Except there is also a fish called dolphin and tastes pretty good, it's only a fish not a mammal.
2007-08-22 18:49:26 · answer #2 · answered by The First Dragon 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dolphins and porpoises are mammals and are closely related. The confusion comes because there is a fish also named 'dolphin' that IS a fish. To help avoid confusion, the fish is also called dorado or mahi-mahi when it's on a menu. One name, two totally different animals.
2007-08-22 09:03:27 · answer #3 · answered by SC 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
All real dolphins are mammals and not fish. The dolphin fish, is not a dolphin at all. Some idiot named it that because it also has a big fin that can stick out of the water.
2007-08-22 08:57:28 · answer #4 · answered by Koozie the chemist 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Almost half right. Porpoises are related to Dolphins as are some whales. All are aquatic mammals and they eat fish, they are not fish.
2007-08-22 09:01:00 · answer #5 · answered by cowboy in scrubs 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think dolphins are mammals that are closely related to porpoises and whales. And the "dolphin fish" is a fish that is also known as "mahi-mahi".
2007-08-22 09:00:32 · answer #6 · answered by Sarah H 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
a dolphin is not a fish its a mammal and porpoises are related to dolphins and whales.
2007-08-22 08:58:11 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dolphins are mammals.
Porpoises are mammals.
Dolphin fish are fish.
Mammals are not fish.
2007-08-22 08:59:39 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
as quickly as i became into fishing on the Skyway bridge pier in Tampa and caught a ladyfish. a guy next to me asked if he could have it for shark bait so I gave it to him. He placed it on a boat rod with a 12/0 Penn trolling reel and threw it out on the backside. Ten minutes later his reel began screaming and a dolphin jumped out of the water together with his hook in its mouth. It went pass into opposite and ripped each and every inch of line off the guy's rod.
2016-11-13 04:34:55 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
dolphins are mammals.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolphin
2007-08-22 09:01:21 · answer #10 · answered by thebirddr 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋