Dolphins and whales belong to the same family; they are both part of the order Cetacea. However, cetaceans are divided into baleen and toothed whales, and it should be obvious that dolphins belong to the latter. This is not the only difference between dolphins and whales. We’re going to spend some time exploring the real differences between dolphins and whales.
Although they belong to the same order, they have many unique aspects. Not only will you know how to tell the difference by looking at them, but you’ll also learn about the less obvious differences between them.
Comparing Dolphins and Whales
| dolphin | whale | |
| size | Weight: 200 to 660 lbs Length: 6.5ft – 13ft | Weight: Up to 352,000 lbs (blue whale Length: Up to 100 feet (blue whale) |
| shape | – Thinner, smaller, more torpedo-like body | – Thicker, bigger body with thicker fat deposits |
| cervical spine | – The vertebrae in the neck are not fused, so their neck is somewhat flexible. – Lateral movement, some dolphins can nod up and down. | – Fully fused vertebrae keep the head stable while the whale swims. |
| social behavior | – Live in large social groups that can exceed dozens of dolphins – Some “superpods” can house over 100 dolphins. – Pack hunting behavior, including orcas (killer whales) | – Many whales are solitary, such as the blue whale, but others live in small groups |
| brain capacity | – 4.0 EQ, indicating that their brain is larger than their body and that the animal has high cognitive abilities. | – 0.38 EQ, indicating that their brain volume is smaller and their cognitive ability may be lower than that of dolphins. |
5 Key Differences Between Dolphins and Whales
The biggest differences between dolphins and whales are their body size, social behavior and brain size. Whales are larger than dolphins; even the largest dolphins, orcas, are small next to the largest whales.
Dolphins live in pods of dozens of different mammal species, but whales often live alone or in small groups of fewer than a dozen species. Although the brains of large whales are larger than those of dolphins, the relative size of dolphin brains is larger than that of any whale and closer to that of humans
Dolphins vs Whales: Size
In the vast majority of cases, whales are larger than dolphins. The only dolphin comparable in size to a whale is the killer whale, but it’s actually a member of the dolphin family.
The average dolphin can weigh up to 660 pounds and be about 13 feet long, but orcas can be up to 26 feet long and weigh up to 19,000 pounds.
All these dolphins pale in comparison to the largest whale, the blue whale. The creature can weigh up to 352,000 pounds and measure about 100 feet at its largest. They are definitely large mammals.
Dolphins vs Whales: Shapes
Dolphins have a cigar-shaped or torpedo-shaped body that is long and thin, becoming slimmer towards the tail. Whales are also torpedo shaped, but they are bigger and thicker. Distinguishing these creatures is easy because whales tend to have large deposits of fat, which make them much rounder than dolphins.
It’s easy to tell which animal you’re encountering by the size and shape differences between the whales and dolphins.
Dolphins vs Whales: The Cervical Spine
Not all cervical vertebrae in a dolphin’s neck are fused together, but all vertebrae in a whale are fully fused. This means that dolphins have more flexibility in their necks, allowing them to perform some horizontal and vertical movements, such as nodding or shaking their heads from side to side.
That’s not to say that dolphins don’t have any fused vertebrae. In fact, two of the bottlenose dolphin’s seven vertebrae are fused together. So dolphins have some noticeable neck movement, but their necks are not as flexible as those of humans.
Dolphins and Whales: Social Behavior
Another major difference between dolphins and whales is their social behavior. Dolphins live in pods of more than 100 individuals. There are several species of whales that are solitary and do not live in pods, but some live in small pods, usually fewer than a dozen.
Dolphins and whales that live in pods do so for similar reasons: social interaction and group hunting efforts. However, dolphins are more sociable, bonding with other members of the group, playing with them, and engaging in complex games.
Research has even shown that some dolphins come together to play with them before even eating their food. These behaviors are not seen in whales, helping to separate the two cetacean members.
Dolphins vs Whales: Brain Size
Dolphins have a much higher brain-to-body ratio than whales. Instead of measuring the absolute quality of a whale’s brain, we’re looking at the brainization quotient, also known as EQ. The encephalization quotient is the ratio between the actual and predicted brain mass of an animal based on animal size.
Bottlenose dolphins have an EQ of 4.0, while whales have an EQ of 0.38. Dolphins are very intelligent animals, but emotional intelligence suggests that the overall cognitive level of blue whales is underdeveloped.
Whales and dolphins may belong to the same order, but they are very different from each other. The difference in size alone is enough to tell them apart. While their size can clearly indicate which mammal you’re looking at, their shape can also help identify them.
After all, whales are fat, round torpedo-shaped creatures, and dolphins are leaner torpedo-shaped creatures. Of course, when size and shape can’t help identify whales and dolphins, the social identity of the two creatures can also provide insight into how vastly different they are.
Dolphins are naturally very intelligent and curious animals, so they are more likely than whales to live together, play games and bond with each other. These animals are similar in many ways, but they still have major differences.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
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