The most cute animals

About DolphinsDolphinsarecetaceanmammals closely related towhalesandporpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17genera. They vary in size from 1.2m (4ft) and 40kg (90lb) (Maui's dolphin), up to 9.5m (30ft) and 10 tonnes (9.8 long tons; 11 short tons) (theorcaor killer whale). They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of thecontinental shelvesand are carnivores, eating mostlyfishandsquid. ThefamilyDelphinidae, the largest in theorderCetacea, evolved relatively recently, about ten million years ago during theMiocene.

he name is originally fromGreek(delphs), "dolphin",[1]which was related to the Greek(delphus), "womb".[2]The animal's name can therefore be interpreted as meaning "a 'fish' with a womb".[3]The name was transmitted via theLatindelphinus[4](theromanizationof the later Greek delphinos[5]), which inMedieval Latinbecamedolfinusand inOld Frenchdaulphin, which reintroduced thephinto the word. The termmereswine(that is, "sea pig") has also historically been used.[6]The term 'dolphin' can be used to refer to, under the suborderOdontoceti, all the species in the familyDelphinidae(marine dolphins including orcas and pilot whales) and the river dolphin familiesIniidae(South American river dolphins),Pontoporiidae(La Plata dolphin),Lipotidae(Yangtze river dolphin) andPlatanistidae(Ganges river dolphin and Indus river dolphin).[7][8]This term has often been misused in the US, mainly in the fishing industry, where all smallcetaceans(dolphins andporpoises) are considered porpoises, while the fishdoradois called dolphin fish.[9]In common usage the term 'whale' is used only for the larger cetacean species,[10]while the smaller ones with a beaked or longer nose are considered 'dolphins'.[11]The name 'dolphin' is used casually as a synonym forbottlenose dolphin, the most common and familiar species of dolphin.[12]Killer whalesalso belong to the family Delphinidae and therefore qualify as dolphins. Though the terms 'dolphin' and 'porpoise' are sometimes used interchangeably, porpoises are not considered dolphins and have different physical features such as a shorter beak and spade-shaped teeth; they also differ in their behavior. Porpoises belong to the familyPhocoenidaeand share a common ancestry with the Delphinidae.[12]A group of dolphins is called a "school" or a "pod". Male dolphins are called "bulls", females "cows" and young dolphins are called "calves".