Cetology (from
Greek ,
ketos, "whale"; and ,
-logia) or
Whalelore is the branch of
marine mammal science that studies the approximately eighty species of
whales,
dolphins, and
porpoise in the scientific order
Cetacea. Cetologists, or those who practice cetology, seek to understand and explain cetacean
evolution, distribution,
morphology, behavior, community dynamics, and other topics.