Gray Whale
Eschrichtius robustus

The Escherichtiidae Family of Gray Whales are marine mammals in the Order Artiodactyla. This places them in the same order as hoofed ungulates, from which they evolved. They are in the Infraorder Cetacea, the Baleen and Toothed Whales. The Escherichtiidae Family consists of only one species, the Gray Whale, Eschrichtius robustus. Historically there were two genera in this Family during the Pliocene Era, 2,580,000 to 5,330,000 years ago, and just one in the Miocene Era, 5,330,000 to 23,000,000 years ago. Presently there is just one family member, the Gray Whale, Eschrichtius robustus.