Porpoise

Porpoises are a group of fully aquatic marine mammals, that are sometimes referred to as mereswine, all of which are classified under the family Phocoenidae, parvorder Odontoceti (toothed whales). There are eight extant species of porpoise. They are small toothed whales that are very closely related to oceanic dolphins. The most obvious visible difference between the two groups is that porpoises have shorter beaks and flattened, spade-shaped teeth distinct from the conical teeth of dolphins. Porpoises, and other cetaceans, belong to the clade Cetartiodactyla with even-toed ungulates, and their closest living relatives are the hippopotamuses, having diverged from them about 40 million years ago.

Porpoises range in size from the 1.4 metres (4.6 ft) and 54 kilograms (119 lb) vaquita, the smallest cetacean to be discovered, to the 2.3 metres (7.5 ft) and 220 kilograms (490 lb) Dall's porpoise. Several species exhibit sexual dimorphism in that the females are larger than males. They have streamlined bodies and two limbs that are modified into flippers. Dall's porpoise is one of the fastest cetaceans discovered, with the ability to travel at 40 knots. Porpoises have the ability to produce biosonar and it is their primary sensory system. Some species are well adapted for diving to great depths. They have a layer of fat, or blubber, under the skin to keep them warm in cold water.

Porpoise (disambiguation)

Porpoise may refer to:

  • Porpoise, a marine mammal
  • Porpoise (make of scuba gear), a tradename for scuba gear developed by Ted Eldred in Australia
  • Porpoise class submarine, various classes of submarines
  • HMS Porpoise, various ships of the British Royal Navy
  • USS Porpoise, various United States Navy ships
  • Porpoise (scuba gear)

    Porpoise is a tradename for scuba developed by Ted Eldred in Australia and made there from the late 1940s onwards. It included:

    A make of diving oxygen rebreather

    This rebreather was developed by Ted Eldred in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Some were made and used for sport diving, but they did not go into full production. It was worn on the back without a casing. The bag was between the canister and valve assembly and the diver's back. It had two wide breathing tubes like an aqua-lung or an IDA71, running to a mouthpiece, which had a shutoff button to keep water out when it was not in the mouth. It appeared in three versions: MK1, MK2, MK3. It had a special valve that both breathing tubes ran through: it was activated by surrounding pressure; when he got deeper than was safe for pure oxygen it restricted (not stopped) the supply of breathing gas, to tell him to go to shallower depth. (Before open-circuit scuba was readily available in Australia, many Australian sport divers used war-surplus Siebe Gorman Salvuses.)

    Podcasts:

    PLAYLIST TIME:

    Porpoise

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    Latest News for: porpoise

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    ‘Seriously rotten’ finless porpoise carcass found on Hong Kong outlying island

    South China Morning Post 16 Apr 2025
    Discovery of 162cm-long sea mammal on Tuesday raises tally of beached cetaceans in the city this year to 15 ... .
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    Finless porpoise sightings surge around port in Mie Prefecture

    Asahi News 08 Apr 2025
    TOBA, Mie Prefecture—The number of wild finless porpoises descending on Toba Port here seems to have increased this year, a boon for both a ferry operator and picture-taking passengers.
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