# Talk:Porpoise

This page needs to be edited. DOLPHINS ARE MAMMALS. DOLPHINS ARE RELATED TO PORPOISES. DOLPHINS ARE CUTE.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.38.70.53 (talk) 00:56, 11 February 2008 (UTC) 

I think someone needs to adress this - it is my understanding too that in certain parts of the world 'dolphin' refers to a fish.
92.2.218.127 (talk) 10:32, 4 September 2008 (UTC)

I have removed the recently added paragraph that said

"The critical distinction between porpoises and dolphins, is that porpoises tend to be more talkative and relaxed in social situations whereas dolphins have a tendency towards shyness."
Knowing little about the topic, I'm quite sure however that this is not the critical distinction. I first thought about changing that into simply "a distinction"; however, the whole sentence sounds quite awkward to me ("talkative"? "relaxed"? "shyness"? Are these terms any scholar would use?), so I decided for moving it to the talk page.
LjL 5 July 2005 23:18 (UTC)

First I apologize if I have posted incorrectly, but I have a question -- I grew up in the TX Gulf Coast area, and remember seeing what I presumed to be porpoises -- that's what my dad said they were -- but they were dark brown and hairy -- is that a porpoise or was I mistaken about what I saw?  thanks in advance.
GT
204.34.247.11 14:39, 15 December 2006 (UTC)
204.34.247.11 20:09, 15 December 2006 (UTC)

A section detailing the areas of the world where different types of porpoises live would be most helpful.
It would also be nice to see something about porpoises portrayed in TV, movies, books, music, etc.  (I'm listening to the Monkees' "Porpoise Song" right now, which is the only reason I'm thinking about it."

It took me several minutes to realize that the Taxonomy section shows a superset of the Porpoise family.  In other words, that section is about half un-related to the main topic.
I don't know much about whales, so maybe someone who does could change the section to be clearer.
--Markhu 21:11, 29 August 2006 (UTC)

Boy, I agree, but it looks like this pattern is followed in some cases (cf. Delphinidae) but not others (River dolphin). I'm going to pose this question at Wikipedia:WikiProject Cetaceans and see what comes up. --Grahamtalk/mail/e 06:42, 31 August 2006 (UTC)

Erm.. there is a bit of vandalism on this page.
I was looking through the wiki, and found this page. I was shocked to find it full of vandalism which shook my utter faith in Wikipedia to the core. I have removed all the vandalism in the opening paragraphs, but as i am no expert of porpoises, have not added any new information to fill in the gaps left by the vandal.
I do hope someone else will fill this in, as i am very interested in this group of species.
Gadgetfingers (not a member of wikipedia)  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 122.57.37.212 (talk) 01:36, 7 June 2008 (UTC) 

I am doing a school research project on marine wildlife and noticed a lack of what a porpise's wieght is. It should be added.

There isnt any data on the porpoise page as the six species of porpoise vary in weight by quite a lot, have a look at the separate species pages for weight information. chris_huh 10:48, 4 October 2006 (UTC)

I've removed this: "When a porpoise swims upside down, it is searching for a mate.". Very little is known about the mating behaviour of porpoises, and it seems unlikely. Kla'quot 08:06, 26 February 2007 (UTC)

This article and List of porpoise species are almost identical. Is there a reason to maintain the list separately from this article? Kla'quot 09:24, 26 February 2007 (UTC)

Shouldn't there be some information concerning the similarities between Porpoises and Sharks despite one being a fish and the other being a mammal?

What, no mention of the pun in the article? I think it's relevant.
→Agreed.   Especially after I read "Some porpoises produce a variety of clicks and whistles, which are thought to be primarily for social purposes."   I'm dying, here!  24.77.16.7 (talk) 06:41, 27 July 2018 (UTC)

Why does the autorotate article link to porpoising which is redirected to here? Porpoising is much different than a porpoise. 72.192.195.24 16:24, 30 May 2007 (UTC)

The article says "The most obvious visible difference between the two groups is that porpoises have flattened, spade-shaped teeth distinct from the conical teeth of dolphins, and shorter beaks."
This is obviously a true statement if you understand it to mean "when they have no skin on them".  This fact is easy to cite because it's the way taxonomists are most likely to see them.
For most readers of this article, however, the most obvious difference between the two of them, other than the size, is the shape.  Simply stated, one is more Fusiform and the other more saccular.  
Not so simply stated, because the beak of a dolphin pokes out of the front of it's head, it tapers to a point more on both ends.  The shape of a porpoise head makes it more tear-dropped shaped overall, if you pointed the head down.
Readers want to know to tell a porpoise from a dolphin when they actually see one.  The addition of simple line drawings would suffice.  Chrisrus (talk) 16:04, 27 August 2009 (UTC)
Also, can someone add a decent picture of the creature? current images are not very clear.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 46.120.10.95 (talk) 14:34, 5 November 2011 (UTC) 

Called mereswine by whom, exactly? Sergeirichard (talk) 20:16, 29 March 2011 (UTC)

mereswine is a old english word, see old dutch word meerswijn, i.e. sea hog. Porpoise derives from French. Vincnet (talk) 15:30, 21 June 2011 (UTC)
But is mereswine notable in contemporary usage? There are many Old English equivalents for Modern English words, but that doesn't mean every article must mention archaic terms as alternatives. Lakshwadeep (talk) 23:42, 20 June 2013 (UTC)
I dunno.  I see no reason why an article about porpoises couldn't have a section on equivalent nouns in other languages or even etymology of the word.  If I am incorrect, I'm sure somebody will explain why in a few years and set me straight. ;)  24.77.16.7 (talk) 07:42, 17 August 2018 (UTC)
Because wikipedia is not a dictionary. Anaxial (talk) 18:08, 17 August 2018 (UTC)

White porpoise, the beluga, is not a Phocoenidae. The white porpoise is not describe on this article. Vincnet (talk) 15:30, 21 June 2011 (UTC)

I find that... not very plausible, to say the least. Likewise, there is nothing at the source link.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.76.99.169 (talk) 20:30, 1 September 2012 (UTC) 

Does this mammal have hair? - 71.179.116.8 (talk) 02:38, 18 November 2012 (UTC)

No. Anaxial (talk) 06:37, 18 November 2012 (UTC)

There are seven recognized species of Porpoise.

Tell me what you think, either on this talk page, or on my talk page Dunkleosteus77 (talk) 04:34, 19 April 2015 (UTC)
I'll just add now; if you remove, please tell me why so I can make adjustments Dunkleosteus77 (talk) 17:02, 19 April 2015 (UTC)

User:01A ext2015, the information you have added reads awkwardly. Also, you did not provide relevant citations.
There are some passages that read really weirdly.

In the case of a species such as the harbor seal... shows that this specific kind of dolphin
The harbor dolphin will start to act eradicate when introduced to a frequency
when the noise stopped the dolphin relaxed and when back to a normal pace. This is a perfect example of a porpoise's situational intelligence
There are also, actually were also, many sentences that said "we researched", and, "our research", as well as opinions like "they should", which implies either original research or plagiarism.
Also, in the editor's perspective, it look like it's been copy/pasted from some other source, since it doesn't go all the way to the end of the line, it just goes to the next line at awkward point. For example (I've removed the following passage):
"For the conservation of endangered animals to be effective, information on population distribution and
abundance requires regular updating from census efforts. The Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena
asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis) has recently been reclassified as critically endangered (CR) due to a rapid
decline in abundance. Baseline measures currently used for identifying extinction risk and implementing
conservation actions may lag behind the actual demographic trend of a population and, thus, should be
updated frequently..."

User:01A ext2015, did you plagiarize the material you added?

For now, I'm going to delete or majorly shorten any material you have added. 
Dunkleosteus77 (push to talk) 21:05, 1 November 2015 (UTC)

This review is transcluded from Talk:Porpoise/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.
Reviewer: Cwmhiraeth (talk · contribs) 14:54, 3 December 2015 (UTC)

I propose to review this article. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 14:54, 3 December 2015 (UTC)


### First reading
I hesitated to take on this GA review because the article lacks polish, giving the impression it has been thrown together rather than being arranged rationally. So I think it needs a bit of work to get it to the required standard. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 15:39, 3 December 2015 (UTC)

In the lead it states "Several species exhibit sexual dimorphism" but in the Anatomy section it states "All species have female-biased sexual dimorphism".
Done
In Taxonomy section "Sllllouthern Hemisphere".
Done
"During the Miocene (23 to 5 Mya), mammals were fairly modern." - This needs further explanation.
Done
Wikilink "cetartiodactyls",
Done
It is usual when describing an animal to start at the head and progress towards the tail. In the Anatomy section, consider the order in which you provide the information.
Done
We need some citations for the sizes of different species of porpoise.
Done
"though those physical differences as small." - typo
Done
"This blubber can help with protection to some extent as predators would have a hard time getting through a thick layer of fat and energy for leaner times;" - either needs additional punctuation or separation into two sentences.
Done
"the primary usage for blubber is insulation from the harsh underwater climate." - If this is the main reason for having blubber, it should probably come first.
Done
The "Tinker" reference in "Locomotion" is about vertebrae. You need references for all the other bits of information earlier in the paragraph.
Done
"Porpoises have two flippers on the front, and a tail fin. These flippers contain four digits. Although porpoises do not possess fully developed hind limbs ..." - This is another instance of the facts being strung together in a non-logical order.
Fixed
"When swimming, porpoises rely on their tail fin propel them through the water. Flipper movement is continuous. Porpoises swim by moving their tail fin and lower body up and down, propelling themselves through vertical movement, while their flippers are mainly used for steering." - This is another example.
Fixed
"Some species log out of the water, which may allow then to travel faster, and sometimes they porpoise out of the water." - I know this is wikilinked, but it is pretty incomprehensible unless you click through.
Fixed
"Their skeletal anatomy allows them to be fast swimmers. They have a very well defined and triangular dorsal fin." - Perhaps this information should be in the Anatomy section. What is the structure of the dorsal fin?
Done
"Unlike their counterparts, they are adapted for coastal shores, bays, and estuaries." - What counterparts are we talking about here?
Done
Will continue later. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 15:39, 3 December 2015 (UTC)
"When porpoises surface, their lens and cornea correct the nearsightedness that results from the refraction of light; they contain both rod and cone cells ..." - It is not clear what "they" refers to.
Done
"...large amounts of light to pass through the eye and, therefore, a very clear image of the surrounding area." - Add "they are able to form" after therefore.
Done
"Porpoise vocalisation is likely to serve several purposes. One reason is for the use of their sonar that may generate up to 20,000 watts of sound and be heard for many miles." - These sentences are unclear.
Removed
I'm not sure why the bit about "whistles and clicks" is indented.
Fixed
Citation needed for the later part of the first paragraph in "Intelligence".
Done
"... in which a porpoise travelling at high speeds make long jumps out of the water or skim the surface." - Singular subject, plural verb.
Done
Citation needed for the later part of the last paragraph in "Intelligence".
Done
The life cycle section is not ordered logically. You need courtship before birth, mammary glands before feeding and weaning is in the wrong place.
You might want to check if I did it right
"In rare cases, alga, such as Ulva lactuca, are consumed." - "In rare cases, algae, such as Ulva lactuca, is consumed."
Done
"...grouping sandlance onto shore are common year-round." - What does "grouping" mean?
Fixed
References 7 (Reeves) and 36 (Wade Bunnel) need attention.
I fixed ref no. 36, but what's wrong with ref no. 7?
I went along and fixed it. There was no title for ref no. 7 which caused an error. You accidentally used "journal" instead of "title". Could you also provide a page number for it please. Burklemore1 (talk) 05:30, 7 December 2015 (UTC)
Will continue later. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 14:22, 4 December 2015 (UTC)


### A few more comments
The word "captivity" occurs three times in the first two sentences of the "In captivity" section.
I removed one; is that okay?
"Breeding success has always been poor with porpoises, which is mainly due to their isolation." - If porpoises are kept in isolation, breeding success is likely to be zero.
Fixed
The section "Drive hunting" has no references.
Fixed
"often polluted meat" - why would the meat be polluted?
Fixed
"(95% CI = 14, 93)" I don't understand these figures.
Another user added a bunch of opinionated (probably plagiarized) material, but I thought I got rid of all that stuff; I guess I didn't...
I have done quite a lot of copyediting, please alter anything I have got wrong.
The two middle paragraphs of the "Environmental hazards" section need serious rewriting.
That user again... Done
The "Conservation" section is largely satisfactory. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 19:30, 7 December 2015 (UTC)
That user again... I haven't finished this one yet.


### GA criteria
A number of alterations have been made since this review started and I am satisfied that the  article meets the style criteria and complies with MOS guidelines on prose and grammar, structure and layout.
The article uses many reliable third-party sources, and makes frequent citations to them. I do not believe it contains original research. 
The article covers the main aspects of the subject and remains focussed. 
The article is neutral. 
The article is stable. 
The images are relevant and have suitable captions, and are either in the public domain or properly licensed. 
Final assessment - I believe this article reaches the GA criteria. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 18:45, 8 December 2015 (UTC)

Recently a porpoise was discovered in a grave, somewhere during medieval days. It's a recent discovery but perhaps wikipedia could also bring this somewhere, and then perhaps either link to the article; or add a parapgraph here. I actually came to this site just now in order to find out whether something has been written about that medieval porpoise. 2A02:8388:1603:CB00:3AD5:47FF:FE18:CC7F (talk) 17:04, 21 September 2017 (UTC)

Do you have a link to the source or a citation for a paper source? Peaceray (talk) 21:17, 21 September 2017 (UTC)

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It was on the news tonight (August 29 2018) that a solitary dolphin found its way to a group of porpoises and began communicating with them. If any one knows about whether dolphins can communicate with porpoises, this could go in the article. Vorbee (talk) 19:43, 29 August 2018 (UTC)

This sentence is wrong. Propoised and dolphins are both whales  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.23.239.68 (talk) 16:50, 25 September 2020 (UTC) 

There is a lot of information not specific to porpoises, which really don't belong on a porpoise page, but should be moved to pages on Cetaceans and Odontocetes. Agree?
JakobT (talk) 08:59, 10 July 2020 (UTC)
Some of the issues may come from the reference to older literature, where, especially in the US, dolphin were often referred to as porpoises. Certainly true for the reference to bycatch in the tuna fisheries. 
JakobT (talk) 08:50, 13 July 2020 (UTC)

We need some info about his intelligent porpoises are. I've just read that they're more intelligent than dogs, but the source isn't suitable for an encyclopaedia. Richard75 (talk) 00:50, 31 October 2020 (UTC)

That part doesn't have a source, and OneZoom says otherwise. Can someone either find a source or fix that? — DanielLC 21:48, 11 February 2021 (UTC)

Surprising perhaps, but the close relationship between the two groups is well documented by anatomy and molecular phylogeny. Added most recent reference I could find.JakobT (talk) 07:27, 12 February 2021 (UTC)