Odontoceti

Odontoceti, commonly known as toothed whales, are a subgroup of whales characterized by having teeth rather than baleen plates. This group includes species like dolphins, sperm whales, and narwhals. They are highly intelligent marine mammals that use echolocation—producing sounds and listening for echoes—to navigate, hunt, and communicate in the ocean. Odontocetes are found globally, from shallow coastal waters to the deep sea, and vary greatly in size and diet. Their teeth are adapted for catching fish, squid, and other prey, making them effective predators in their aquatic environments.