Facts & Info About the Porpoise
Increase your knowledge of Facts about
the Porpoise with some brief, but essential information &
fast facts about this popular animal. Important facts, data
and info containing details of the description, name
origins and habitat of Porpoise. Details of the size, height and
weight. Where they live and what they eat! Discover what
their lives are like! A mixture of Factual information
together with cool, fun, strange, amazing, weird and even
funny facts about Porpoise. A detailed Fact Sheet covering a
whole host of topics and Porpoise facts! Have Fun!
Facts about
Porpoise !
Description of the Porpoise
The
Porpoise is described as a marine cetacean mammal (of the order cetacea), such as the
Harbor porpoise, of the family Phocaena, related to the whales and
the dolphin. The term cetacean includes all 76 known species of
whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Those more than 4 to 5 m (13 to
16 ft) long are generally referred to as whales, whereas smaller
species are known as dolphins or porpoises. The porpoise has a
blunt snout, many teeth and a triangular dorsal fin. The Porpoise
is also called the sea hog.
The origins of the name come from the Middle English word 'porpeis'
meaning sea-pig - hence its alternative name of sea hog!
Echlocation
Echolocation - All
porpoises can
see, however as visibility is restricted underwater they have developed the use of a sonar system called
'echolocation' to find
food when navigating and hunting for food. Their clicks make
high-frequency sounds, and the echoes of these sounds bounce back
which enables them to make a mental map. Using this mental map
they are able to avoid the smallest of obstacles whilst locating
their prey. In just a split second Echlocation enables them to
determine the size of objects, their location, how fast they are
Differences between the Dolphin and
the Porpoise
The
Dolphin and the Porpoise are two different types of mammals:
Dolphins are
larger, more streamlined and acrobatic
Porpoises
are smaller and stockier with triangular dorsal fins or no
dorsal fins at all
The dolphin
dorsal fin is larger and more curved
Dolphins
have a 'beak'
Porpoises
are 'beakless', with a rounded snout
Dolphins
travel in larger groups than porpoises
Dolphins
produce sounds that humans can hear
Porpoises
communicate at frequencies beyond the range of human hearing
Species of the Porpoise
There
are six different species of Porpoise:
Phocoena
spinipinnis - Burmeister's porpoises - named by the German
biologist Burmeister
Phocoenoides
dalli - Dall's porpoises - named after the zoologist W. H. Dall
Neophocaena
phocaenoides - Finless porpoises - named by Cuvier
Phocoena
phocoena - Harbor porpoises - named by Linnaeus
Australophocaena dioptrica - Spectacled porpoises - first
described by the Argentinian naturalist Lahille
Phocoena
sinus - Vaquita Porpoises - first described by American
biologists Norris and McFarland
Facts about where Porpoises live and what they eat!
Porpoise are native to Indian, Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans.
The common habitat is in oceans, shallow waters and estuaries
The diet of Porpoise consist of fish, shrimp, prawns, octopus and
squid
Basic Facts about Porpoises
The name of a male is referred to
as a male
The name of a female is referred to as a female
The name or offspring, or a baby Porpoise, is a calf
The average size of a litter is one
The collective name for a group of Porpoise is a Pod
The sound made by a Porpoise is referred to as a click
Facts about the Averages Size of
the Male
Porpoise The smallest are Harbor
porpoise which are 1.8 metres long and weigh about 90 kilograms.
Cool and Fun Facts about the
Porpoise
Some
fascinating information & facts about the Porpoise - find our
what a Tubercle, Pod, a Rostrum, a Melon, Blubber, Flukes and Blowholes are!
A group of porpoise is called a Pod
Their snouts, or
beaks, are called the Rostrum
The Fatty tissue
below a porpoises's skin helps to keep it warm and is called
Blubber
Fins - the
Pectoral Fins are used for stopping and
steering and found on either side of the body
Fins - the
Flukes are used for propelling through water and are located
on the tail
Tubercles - Where
the porpoise has no dorsal fin on its back it has a small ridge
beginning just back from the blowhole and extending to the tail
flukes; this ridge is covered in small circular bumps known as
tubercles
This is a hole at the top of a porpoise's head called a
Blowhole which is used for breathing and making sounds
What does that word mean??
Some
fascinating information & facts about the words that are often
used to describe animals! Read the facts and information and decide how
Porpoises
should be described!
What is a
Mammal?
A Mammal is a
warm blooded, vertebrate mammal. Warm blooded means that their
temperature remains the same although their surroundings might
change. This explains why they have a covering of hair on
their skin. A mammal has milk-producing mammary glands for
nourishing their young
What is a
Vertebrate?
A
Vertebrate is an animal that has a backbone which consists of
ring-like bones, called vertebrae, that protect the soft
spinal cord
What is an
Invertebrate?
An
Invertebrate animal does not have a backbone. They are also
cold-blooded which means their body temperature changes
according to the environment environment
What is a
Carnivore?
A
Carnivore is an animal which eats mainly meat
What is a
Herbivore?
A
Herbivore is an animal which eats mainly plants and grass
What is an
Omnivore?
An
Omnivore is an animal which eats both meat and plants
What is an
Amphibian?
An
Amphibian is an animal spend part of its life under water
(breathing with gills) and the remainder on land (breathing
with lungs)
Some
fascinating information & facts about the words that are often
used to describe animals! Read the information and decide how Porpoises should be described!
Endangered Species
Wild life experts consider that
some Porpoises
are an endangered species
An “endangered” species is one that is in danger of extinction
throughout all or a significant portion of its range. The Causes
of a species of animal becoming endangered are due to Habitat
Destruction, Introduction of Exotic Species, Disease, Pollution,
and Over exploitation. Endangered Species Organizations are
dedicated to saving and preserving the world's most endangered
wildlife. Interesting facts about endangered Species
Porpoise Facts and Information about Porpoise We hope that the selection of
Facts about the Porpoise has provided you with the information you have
been searching for! A mixture of Factual information together with
cool, fun, strange, amazing, weird and even funny facts about this
amazing animal. A detailed Fact Sheet covering a whole host of
topics information and facts about Porpoises. We believe that the concise and fun
facts provided are full of interesting information about this popular animal!
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