Sterling Silver Dolphin Brooch Pin.

Sterling Silver Dolphin Brooch Pin.

People use the terms dolphins, porpoises, and whales to describe marine mammals belonging to the order Cetacea (from the Greek word ketos, “large sea creature”), and often use them interchangeably. The orca, or killer whale, for example, is actually the largest member of the dolphin family.

Dolphins are by far more prevalent than porpoises. Most scientists agree that there are 32 dolphin species (plus five closely related species of river dolphin) and only six porpoise species.

So what’s the difference? It essentially comes down to their faces (who can forget Flipper’s famous “grin”?), their fins, and their figures. Dolphins tend to have prominent, elongated “beaks” and cone-shaped teeth, while porpoises have smaller mouths and spade-shaped teeth. The dolphin’s hooked or curved dorsal fin (the one in the middle of the animal’s back) also differs from the porpoise’s triangular dorsal fin. Generally speaking, dolphin bodies are leaner, and porpoises’ are portly.

Item Code - JEW11C270HAEZ5B3

Width: 1 3/4"  Height: 2 1/8"  Depth:      Weight: 17 g