Order Cetacea (Noun)
Meaning
An order of Eutheria.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- Order Cetacea is a mammalian order that consists of whales, dolphins, and porpoises, which are closely related to even-toed ungulates.
- Marine mammals, such as whales and dolphins, belong to the order Cetacea, which is thought to have diverged from artiodactyls millions of years ago.
- The order Cetacea is characterized by large brain to body mass ratio, a thick layer of blubber, and other specialized adaptations for aquatic life.
- The ancestors of modern order Cetacea were once terrestrial mammals, which transitioned to aquatic environments through a series of adaptations over millions of years.
- Phylogenetic analysis places the order Cetacea within the clade Laurasiatheria, alongside other groups of mammals, including carnivores and pangolins.