Anatomy In this section, our main focus will be looking into the general anatomy of dolphins and finding out how the various body parts work. Since terrestrial mammals have come a long way to evolve into the dolphins of today, a main part of this section will be devoted to studying the adaptations developed by dolphins to enable them to live underwater. Basic Anatomy As dolphins have become so streamlined in shape, they are often mistaken for fish, or even sharks sometimes. Indeed, their physical features have become so similar to those of a fish that they do not resemble terrestrial mammals in appearance. Even up to today, they are still regarded as "fish with lungs". We shall see how these changes in the physical features aid in the hydrodynamic efficiency of this mammal. Physiology The physiology - functions of the body processes - of dolphins does not differ greatly from that of terrestrial mammals. In other words, they retain the main characteristics of mammals. The dolphin's body processes are highly developed so as to adapt itself to underwater life . For example, the respiratory system of dolphins is adapted in such a way that oxygen is fully utilized in the body. More of these will be covered under this topic. Propulsion Not only are dolphins extremely agile, they are also proficient swimmers, with the ability to reach 50 km (30 miles) per hour under water. Their swimming capabilities attribute to its powerful tail and the special function of its skin. In addition to these adaptations, the means of propulsion will also be discussed further.

© 1998 Thinkquest Team 17963 <17963@advanced.org>: Bradford Hovinen, Onno Faber, Vincent Goh Modified: 21 August 1998, Created: 7 July 1998