Harbour porpoise

Harbour porpoise
Temporal range: Miocene – Recent
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Harbour porpoise in Ecomare, Netherlands
Size compared to an average human

Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)[2] (Europe)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Infraorder: Cetacea
Family: Phocoenidae
Genus: Phocoena
Species:
P. phocoena
Binomial name
Phocoena phocoena
Subspecies
  • P. p. phocoena
  • P. p. relicta
  • P. p. vomerina
Harbour porpoise range.[3]
Synonyms

Delphinus phocoena Linnaeus, 1758

The harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is one of eight extant species of porpoise. It is one of the smallest species of cetacean. As its name implies, it stays close to coastal areas or river estuaries, and as such, is the most familiar porpoise to whale watchers. This porpoise often ventures up rivers, and has been seen hundreds of kilometres from the sea. The harbour porpoise may be polytypic, with geographically distinct populations representing distinct races: P. p. phocoena in the North Atlantic and West Africa, P. p. relicta in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, an unnamed population in the northwestern Pacific and P. p. vomerina in the northeastern Pacific.[4]

  1. ^ Braulik, G.; Minton , G.; Amano, M.; Bjørge, A. (2020). "Phocoena phocoena". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T17027A50369903. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T17027A50369903.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ Group, Species account by IUCN SSC Cetacean Specialist; Team, regional assessment by European Mammal Assessment (26 January 2007). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Phocoena phocoena". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. {{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  3. ^ IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) 2008. Phocoena phocoena. In: IUCN 2015. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015.2. http://www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 25 July 2015.
  4. ^ Shirihai, Hadoram; Jarrett, Brett (2006). Whales, Dolphins and Seals - A Field Guide to the Marine Mammals of the World. A&C Black Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7136-7037-0.