Search unanswered questions...

Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics


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.

Improve Answer Discuss the question "What is the difference between a dolphin and a porpoise?" Click here to register and get updates when this answer is edited. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

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?

Our contributors said this page should be displayed for the questions below. (Where do these come from)
If any of these are not a genuine rephrasing of the question, please help out and edit these alternates.
Dolphin vs porpoise?  Size dolphin porpoise?  Dolphin versus porpoise?  Is a dolphin aq porpoise?  Is a dolphin like a porpoise?  Is a dall porpoise a dolphin?  Name six different types of porpoises?  Difference between porpise and dolphin?  Diference between dolphin and porpoise?  Dolphin and porpoise how are they alike?  Most porpoises are smaller than dolphins?  Is a dolphin the same thing as a porpoise?  How do you tell a porpoise from a dolphin?  Which one is nicer a porpoise or a dolphin?  What difference berween dolphin and porpoise?  How is the dolphin different from the porpose?  The differece between a dolphin and a porpoise?  Why is a porpoise a porpoise and not a dolphin?  What is bigger in length a porpoise or a dolphin?  What is the difference between a dolphine porpoise?