Whale and dolphin??

Question

Ok my little sis is a big dolphin fan andt thinks a dolphin is a whale cause her teacher said so! (shes 9). is that true??? me and my mom think its not! thanks for ur help!!

Answer 1

Your little sister is right, dolphins are indeed whales (Cetacea).  Several of the true dolphins (Delphinidae) are called whales, including killer whales (Orcinas orca) and pilot whales (Globicephalus macrorhynchus), and other things are also called dolphins that aren't closely related, like beaked whales (Ziphidae) and beluga whales (Delphinapterous leucas).

Answer 2

Andrew M, I'm seriously concerned about your education!

WHALES ARE NOT FISH!

Answer 3

Dolphins are mammals. Whales are fish. Dolphins can breathe out of water and have brains, whereas whales are like jelly and die if they are not in the sea.

I am seriously concerned about your sisters education! Are you sure her teacher is properly qualified?

Answer 4

Not really. Only one "whale" is a dolphin and that's the killer whale. That's because it is a orca. An orca is the worlds largest breed of dolphin. But don't get me wrong both whales and dolphins are mammals they both breath oxygen but they can die if they get dry. But tell your sister that she right and wrong dolphins and whales are mammals but a dolphin is a entirely different species than a whale.

Answer 5

Yeah they are...they are considered small toothed whales.

Answer 6

Whales and dolphins (and porpoises) are all in the group called cetaceans.  Dolphins and whales are closer to each other then they are to porpoises.  Dolphins and whales are frequently lumped together as whales but it is slightly inaccurate.

Some one above called orcas or killer whales a dolphin.  He is wrong.  Orcas are porpoises, the largest of the porpoise group.