Class Mammalia
Order Cetacea
Suborder Mysticeti
Suborder Odontoceti
The Order Cetacea includes the whales, obligately aquatic animals that are mostly marine, and thus whale fossils are primarily found in marine sediments. There are two suborders: the Mysticeti and the Odontoceti.
The Mysticeti consists of the baleen whales. Plates of bristle-like, keratinous baleen attach internally to the upper jaw. During feeding, a large parcel of water is taken into the mouth; expulsion of the water through the baleen filters out organisms that were in the water. The Mysticeti includes the largest animal known.
The Odontoceti includes the toothed whales, and prey usually consists of relatively large items such as fish, seals, or penguins. Porpoises are odontocetes that are familiar to most people.
There is a single living species of Gray Whale.
The Gray Whale occurs today off the coast of California.
Sites.
Rancholabrean: Gaffey Street and Harbor Freeway I-110 (Jefferson 1991b: cf.).
Literature. Jefferson 1991b
Delphinids are toothed whales, active hunters of vertebrate prey.
Sites.
Rancholabrean: San Clemente IslandJefferson 2014Jefferson 2014.
Literature. Jefferson 2014.
Sites. San Juan Capistrano (Jefferson 2014).
Literature. Jefferson 2014.
Last Update: 23 May 2015