Whale Taxonomy Tree

Explore the taxonomic classification of whales from order down to genus level. Click the + sign to expand each category and discover the diversity of whale families and genera, you can click on any category to see the whales from it.

Order Cetacea

Mysticeti (Baleen Whales) 15 species

Balaenopteridae (Rorquals) 9 species

Balaenoptera 8 species

B. acutorostrata - Common Minke Whale

B. bonaerensis - Antarctic Minke Whale

B. borealis - Sei Whale

B. edeni - Bryde's Whale

B. ricei - Rice's Whale

B. musculus - Blue Whale

B. omurai - Omura's Whale

B. physalus - Fin Whale

Megaptera 1 species

M. novaeangliae - Humpback Whale

Balaenidae (Right Whales) 4 species

Eubalaena 3 species

E. australis - Southern Right Whale

E. japonica - North Pacific Right Whale

E. glacialis - North Atlantic Right Whale

Balaena 1 species

B. mysticetus - Bowhead Whale

Eschrichtiidae (Gray Whales) 1 species

Eschrichtius 1 species

E. robustus - Gray Whale

Cetotheriidae (Pygmy Right Whales) 1 species

Caperea 1 species

C. marginata - Pygmy Right Whale

Odontoceti (Toothed Whales) 29 species

Physeteridae (Sperm Whales) 1 species

Physeter 1 species

P. macrocephalus - Sperm Whale

Kogiidae (Pygmy Sperm Whales) 2 species

Kogia 2 species

K. breviceps - Pygmy Sperm Whale

K. sima - Dwarf Sperm Whale

Ziphiidae (Beaked Whales) 24 species

Ziphius 1 species

Z. cavirostris - Cuvier's Beaked Whale

Berardius 3 species

B. bairdii - Baird's Beaked Whale

B. arnuxii - Arnoux's Beaked Whale

B. minimus - Sato's Beaked Whale

Tasmacetus 1 species

T. shepherdi - Shepherd's Beaked Whale

Hyperoodon 2 species

H. ampullatus - Northern Bottlenose Whale

H. planifrons - Southern Bottlenose Whale

Indopacetus 1 species

I. pacificus - Tropical Bottlenose Whale

Mesoplodon 17 species

M. mirus - True's Beaked Whale

M. europaeus - Gervais' Beaked Whale

M. bidens - Sowerby's Beaked Whale

M. densirostris - Blainville's Beaked Whale

M. hectori - Hector's Beaked Whale

M. carlhubbsi - Hubbs' Beaked Whale

M. stejnegeri - Stejneger's Beaked Whale

M. bowdoini - Andrews' Beaked Whale

M. ginkgodens - Ginkgo-toothed Beaked Whale

M. grayi - Gray's Beaked Whale

M. layardii - Strap-toothed Beaked Whale

M. peruvianus - Pygmy Beaked Whale

M. perrini - Perrin's Beaked Whale

M. traversii - Spade-toothed Whale

M. hotaula - Deraniyagala's Beaked Whale

M. eueu - Ramari's Beaked Whale

Monodontidae (Arctic Whales) 2 species

Delphinapterus 1 species

D. leucas - Beluga Whale

Monodon 1 species

M. monoceros - Narwhal

Conservation Status

Many whale species are endangered or threatened due to historical whaling, habitat loss, climate change, and other human activities.

Critically Endangered

Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild

Endangered

Facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild

Vulnerable

Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild

Least Concern

Evaluated as not being at risk of extinction in the near future