Cetacea and two (external) limbs that are modified into flippers. Though not as flexible or agile as seals, cetaceans can swim very quickly, with the killer whale able to travel at in short bursts and the fin whale able to cruise at . Dolphins are able to make very tight turns while swimming at high speeds. The hindlimbs of cetaceans are internal, and are thought to be vestigial. Baleen whales have short hairs on their mouth, unlike the toothed whales. Cetaceans have well-developed senses—their eyesight and hearing are adapted for both air and water, and baleen whales have a tactile system
Spade-toothed whale initially remained undescribed, but was later believed to be from a ginkgo-toothed beaked whale. In 1986, a damaged calvaria was found washed up on Robinson Crusoe Island, Chile, and was described as a new species, "Mesoplodon bahamondi" or Bahamonde's beaked whale. In December 2010, two specimens, a cow and calf, were found stranded on Opape Beach, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. They were originally identified as Gray's beaked whale, but later genetic analysis revealed that they represented the first complete specimens of the spade-toothed whale. Following this find, a report describing the spade-toothed whale and an analysis of their DNA