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cetacea

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cetacea


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Cetacea  \Ce*ta"ce*a\,  n.  pl  [NL.,  from  L.  cetus  whale,  Gr  ?.] 
  (Zo["o]l.) 
  An  order  of  marine  mammals,  including  the  whales.  Like 
  ordinary  mammals  they  breathe  by  means  of  lungs,  and  bring 
  forth  living  young  which  they  suckle  for  some  time.  The 
  anterior  limbs  are  changed  to  paddles;  the  tail  flukes  are 
  horizontal.  There  are  two  living  suborders: 
  a  The  {Mysticete}  or  whalebone  whales,  having  no  true  teeth 
  after  birth,  but  with  a  series  of  plates  of  whalebone 
  [see  {Baleen}.]  hanging  down  from  the  upper  jaw  on  each 
  side  thus  making  a  strainer,  through  which  they  receive 
  the  small  animals  upon  which  they  feed. 
  b  The  {Denticete},  including  the  dolphins  and  sperm  whale, 
  which  have  teeth.  Another  suborder  ({Zeuglodontia})  is 
  extinct.  The  {Sirenia}  were  formerly  included  in  the 
  Cetacea,  but  are  now  made  a  separate  order 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  Cetacea 
  n  :  an  order  of  Eutheria  [syn:  {Cetacea},  {order  Cetacea}] 




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