What is a dolphin?

The word dolphin comes from the Greek "delphis" which means spirit of the sea. It is a generic term that does not define a particular species but more than thirty different species that belong to marine mammals.

A tapered, hydrodynamic shape

It is possible to define dolphins as marine mammals with teeth and a long rostrum. Some marine mammals are sometimes incorrectly called "dolphins", for example those with a short or no rostrum, such as narwhal and beluga, two animals larger than dolphins. Confusion is also very common with porpoises, which are much smaller animals.

What is a marine mammal?

They are mammals whose life is entirely dependent on water. All mammals, whether marine or terrestrial, have in common: aerial respiration, breastfeeding, warm blood and the presence of hair at some point in their lives. Marine mammals are found in animals as different as whales, dolphins, seals, dugongs and, most surprisingly, polar bears and sea otters.