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What is the difference between a dolphin and a porpoise?

Dolphin

Closely related to porpoises, dolphins are much larger and have many more subspecies. Dolphins' teeth are not spade-shaped at all, being more cone-like.

Dolphins, along with bonobos, are some of the only animals known to have sex for reasons other than reproduction. They are more easily trained than porpoises, and more popular in zoos and so forth for that reason.

They are considered the most intelligent of the animals and are more prevalent in human culture than porpoises.

There has been reports of dolphins eating porpoises.

Porpoise

Porpoises are members of the family Phocoenidae, with spade-shaped teeth and six species in the family. They are smaller and stouter than dolphins, and raise their young faster than dolphins do. Unlike dolphins, they lack beaks. Porpoises acclimate to tank life less well than dolphins.

Porpoises are not commonly seen in popular culture. Lewis Carroll noted their existence in a little dialogue within his famous Alice in Wonderland, where the word 'porpoise' was confused with 'purpose'. The porpoise also appears, in the same book, in a poem The Lobster Quadrille.

Porpoises are also known to be gentler than dolphins.

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First answer by AutomaticKitten. Last edit by Carayoshi. Contributor trust: 183 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 3 [recommend question].

Answers.com > Wiki Answers > Categories > Animal Life > Wild Animals > Mammals > Aquatic Mammals > Dolphins and Porpoises > What is the difference between a dolphin and a porpoise?

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