answersLogoWhite

0

Regrettably, the term "dolphin" is saddled with two widely divergent definitions. According to one definition, the dolphin is indeed a "fish", but a second definition refers to the dolphin as an air-breathing mammal. Fortunately, the term "porpoise" is the tiebreaker, which applies strictly to the air-breathing mammal, such as the trained porpoises seen at theme parks. In contrast, the non-porpoise "dolphin" is a saltwater game fish that is never referred to as a porpoise. These saltwater game fishes are called "Dolphins" in the United States and Australia, "Mahi Mahi" in Hawaii and "Dorado" in Mexico.

Roger Felber

User Avatar

Wiki User

∙ 15y ago

What else can I help you with?