common name: atlantic humpback dolphin latin name: sousa teuszii other names: cameroon dolphin...

• Common Name:Atlantic humpback dolphin

Latin Name:Sousa teuszii

Other Names:Cameroon dolphin

Primary Classification:Odontocete (Toothed whale, dolphin or porpoise)

Sub Classification:Delphinidae

Description:Atlantic humpback dolphins look very similar to Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, though the areas that they live in (their ranges of water) do not overlap. They can also be confused with bottlenose dolphins, though they have an elongated hump in the middle of their backs, and small dorsal fins. This hump can be up to at least one third of the dolphins body length, and grows when the dolphin becomes adult. An adults body colour can be mid to dark grey (sometimes speckled), with a paler coloured belly- young dolphins tend to be darker in colour. The dorsal fin may be small, curved or triangular in shape and may lighten with age. The flukes have a distinctive middle notch with concave trailing edges.

• Field ID:Robust body, Elongated hump , Long slender beak, Single blowhole, Lighter under-side (belly), Small fin, Tail flukes raised when diving, Difficult to approach

Length (metres):Atlantic humpback dolphins are about 1 metre (39in) long when they are born. They will at least double in length by the time they are fully grown, measuring between 2 and 2.5 metres (6ft 6in - 8ft 3in).

Weight:Adult Atlantic humpback dolphins weigh between 100 and 150 kg (220 - 330 lb). Their birth weight is not known.

Diet:Fish

Common Name:Atlantic white-sided dolphin

Latin Name:Lagenorhynchus acutus

Other Names:Jumper, Springer, Lag, Atlantic White-sided Porpoise



Description:

Atlantic white-sided dolphins can easily be spotted at sea with their large, robust bodies, and the distinctive white patch on their sides finishing in a yellow streak at the rear of their flanks. There is a dark ring around the eye and a dark stripe between the corner of the mouth and flipper. The upper body is grey whilst the underbelly is much lighter. The dorsal fin, flippers, and tail fluke can be black or dark grey. The body remains thick until it reaches the tail, where it quickly narrows into the flukes.

• Field ID:Robust body; very short beak; single blowhole; body mainly black or grey; bright yellow patch on the rear flanks; light under-side (belly)

Length (metres):When they are born Atlantic white-sided dolphins are 1 - 1.3 metres (39in - 4ft 3in) long. They grow to between 1.9 and 2.5 metres (6ft 3in - 8ft 3in) in length.

Weight:Atlantic white-sided dolphins are born weighing 30 - 35 kg (65 - 75 lb).

Diet:Fish, crustaceans, squid

• Common Name:Bottlenose dolphin

Latin Name:Tursiops truncatus

Other Names:Grey porpoise, Black porpoise, Cowfish



Description:

Bottlenose dolphins vary greatly in size. It's quite possible for two to be a very different size, shape and colour from one another, even if they live in the same school. If they come from different populations, they will probably be even more different. Some of the world's largest bottlenose dolphins, for example, live around the United Kingdom. They can be a good metre longer than those living off Florida in the USA, and will probably be fatter with shorter beaks.There seem to be two main types of bottlenose: inshore dolphins (living nearer the coast) that are smaller and thinner, and offshore dolphins that are larger and fatter. Their size will also depend on the temperature of the water they live in - the colder it is, the more blubber they need!The easiest way of recognising a bottlenose is to look out for an obvious dark and curved-back dorsal fin on a lively grey dolphin! They can, however, quite easily be confused with other dolphins such as spotted and humpback dolphins. The shape of their dorsal fin, along with nicks, scratches and other markings on their skin, are what researchers use to identify individual bottlenose dolphins. They have between 40 and 52 teeth in their upper jaw and 36 - 48 teeth in their lower jaw.

• Field ID:Robust body, Round melon, Single blowhole, Pointed flippers, Dark cape (area of the back around the dorsal fin), Lighter under-side (belly), Fast active swimmer, Often bow-rides

Length (metres):Bottlenose dolphins from different parts of the world are very different sizes. There can be as much as a two metre difference between some adults, they can range from 1.9 to 4 metres in length (6.25 - 13 ft). New-borns can also vary quite a lot in length, they can be anything between 85cm and 1.3 metres (34in - 4.25 ft).

Weight:As with length, bottlenoses can be very different weights especially depending on where they live. Some of them are more than four times as heavy as others! Adults can weigh between 150 and 650 kg (330 - 1435 lb) and new-borns between 15 and 30 kg (35 - 65 lb).

Diet:Fish, Krill and/or other crustaceans, Squid

Common Name:Chilean dolphin

Latin Name:Cephalorhynchus eutropia

Other Names:White-bellied dolphin, Black dolphin



Description:These animals are very poorly known, from only a small number of sightings, a small collection of skeletons, and a handful of strandings. From this evidence, they have a relatively large rounded dorsal fin, a conical shaped head with sloping forehead, and an indistinct beak with white "lips". They have a dark grey body that may seem brown at sea, with a white belly, a white throat and a small white patch behind each flipper. Black dolphins have between 56 and 68 teeth in their upper jaw and between 58 and 66 in their lower jaw.

Field ID:Stocky body; small size; very short beak; white "lips"; single blowhole; dark coloration; light under-side (belly); broad flukes; difficult to approach; shy and retiring by nature

Length (metres):Their length when they are born is unknown, but adults are quite small, growing to only 1.2 - 1.7 metres (4ft - 5ft 9in).

Weight:Adult Chilean dolphins weigh between 30 and 65 kg (65 - 145 lb). There is no information available about how much they weigh when they are born.

Diet:Probably fish, squid and crustaceans.

• Common Name:Commerson's dolphin

Latin Name:Cephalorhynchus commersonii

Other Names:Skunk dolphin, Piebald dolphin, Black and white dolphin, Jacobite, Puffing pig



Description:Commerson's dolphins are very striking in their appearance and are quite easy to identify. Their bodies are small and similar in shape to a porpoise rather than a dolphin, but they certainly behave like dolphins.

At birth they are grey, black and brown, but as they get older their colouring changes. When they are mature, they are mainly white with black tails, fins and flippers. There is always a white patch under the chin and a black patch on the belly. It is possible to tell males from females by the shape of the black patch on the belly. It is shaped like a raindrop in males and like a horseshoe in females. The South American animals which are black, grey and white are smaller than those in the Indian ocean. They have small rounded flippers. The left one has serrations along the leading edge. Their dorsal fins are also rounded and always black. Their tail flukes have slightly rounded tips with a small notch in the middle.

• Field ID:Stocky body, Small size, No prominent beak, Single blowhole, Black and white in colour, Fast active swimmer, Often bow-rides

Length (metres):They have small chunky bodies. New-borns can be as short as 55cm, adults are usually between 1.3 and 1.7m in length.

Weight:When they are born Commerson's dolphins weigh about 6 kg (13lb). They weigh between 35 and 60 kg (75-130lb) when they are fully grown. A pregnant Commerson's dolphin was once weighed at 66kg (146lb).

Diet:Commerson’s dolphins are not fussy eaters. They like crustaceans, such as shrimps and crabs, fish, squid or octopus, and other invertebrates (animals without a backbone), such as starfish.

• Common Name:Common dolphin

Latin Name:Delphinus delphis (short-beaked)Delphinus capensis (long-beaked)

Other Names:Saddleback dolphin, White-bellied porpoise, Criss-cross dolphin, Hourglass dolphin, Cape dolphin



Description:

Common dolphins are easily recognised by the hourglass pattern and tan or yellowish patch on each side, although they can sometimes be confused with striped dolphins. They have a dark cape ranging from black to brown with a v-shape under the dorsal fin. They also have a white underside with occasional yellow streaks and a white tail stock. Their flukes are dark on both sides, and their dorsal fins range from curved to triangular and can be black, greyish white or somewhere in-between. They vary so much that people have suggested there are a number of different species. Only two distinct forms are recognised; the long-beaked and short-beaked. There are only subtle differences between the sexes and males and females are difficult to tell apart.

Field ID:Streamlined body, long slender beak, single blowhole, pointed flippers, hourglass pattern on sides, dark flippers, tail and fin, dark cape (area of the back around the dorsal fin), fast active swimmer.

Length (metres):When they are born, common dolphins are about 80cm long (32in). They grow to between 1.7 and 2.4 metres (5ft 9in - 8ft) in length.

Weight:We do not know how much common dolphins weigh when they are born, but adults are between 70 and 110 kg (155 - 245lb).

Diet:Fish, Squid

Common Name:Dusky dolphin

Latin Name:Lagenorhynchus obscurus

Other Names:Fitzroy's dolphin



Description:Physically they are like the Pacific white-sided dolphin. They have a short, dark beak and gently sloping forehead. Their upper sides are predominantly dark or blue-black, but there are white or pale-grey blazes along their sides. Their dorsal fins are very tall with an area of light grey on the rear half. At sea it is best to look for the light face and short blunt beak.

Field ID:Compact body, small size, white two-pronged blazes point forward on each rear flank, dark upper-side (top), light under-side (belly), two-toned fin, black patch around eye, predominantly white face, fast active swimmer, highly acrobatic, curious around boats, short, thick beak.

Length (metres):Adult duskies are between 1.6 and 2.1 metres (5ft 3in - 7ft) long. When they are born they are between 55 and 70cm (22 - 28in).

Weight:New-born dusky dolphins weigh between 3 and 5 kg (7 - 11lb) and when they are fully grown they will weigh between 50 and 90 kg (110 - 200 lb).

Diet:Fish and squid

• Common Name:False killer whale

Latin Name:Pseudorca crassidens

Other Names:False pilot whale, Pseudorca



Description:False killer whales, like orcas, are actually dolphins, not whales. They are generally smaller than pilot whales and orcas (killer whales) but larger than other 'dolphins'. They have a dark body colour with a long, slender head that tapers to a rounded beak. The fins on their backs are large with either a pointed or rounded tip. They quite often have scars on parts of their bodies. Their flukes are small in relation to the rest of their bodies. Their flippers are different to many other whales in that they have a unique 'elbow', like that of the long-finned pilot whale.

Field ID:Streamlined body, small head, rounded beak, elbow on flippers, dark coloration, tall dorsal fin, fast & active swimmer, prefers deep water

Length (metres):When they are born false killer whales are 1.6 to 1.9 metres (5ft 3in - 6ft 3in) long. When they are fully grown they can measure between 4.3 and 6 metres (14ft - 19ft 9in).

Weight:At birth, false killer whales weigh 80kg (175 lb) and when they are mature they weigh between 1.1 and 2.2 tonnes.

Diet:Fish, squid and other marine mammals.

• Common Name:Fraser's dolphin

Latin Name:Lagenodelphis hosei

Other Names:Sarawak dolphin, Shortsnout dolphin, Bornean dolphin, Fraser's porpoise, White-bellied dolphin



Description: Fraser's dolphin calves are born with dull coloration, but as they mature into adult animals they develop a more striking appearance. The adult dolphins have blue-grey upper sides, and are creamy white or pink on their belly and throat. Some of them, especially the males, have a vivid dark black lateral body stripe; the width and intensity of the stripe is thought to increase with age. They also have a dark blue/ grey line (or lines) running from their beak to their flippers.These dolphins have small pointed flippers and a small dorsal fin in relation to their body size. They have a well-defined but short beak.

•Field ID:Stocky body, Blue-grey skin colour, Dark lateral stripe, Small fin, Short, defined beak, Small, narrow flippers

Length (metres):New-born Fraser's dolphins are about 1 metre (39in) long, and adults are between 2 and 2.6 metres (6ft 6in - 8ft 6in) long.

Weight:When they are born they weigh approximately 19 kg (40lb), and when fully grown they weigh between 160 and 210 kg (350 - 460 lb).

Diet:Fish, crustaceans squid

Common Name:Heaviside's dolphin

Latin Name:Cephalorhynchus heavisidii

Other Names:South African dolphin, Benguela dolphin



Description:Not much is known about these dolphins other than what they look like. Heaviside's dolphins are small, compact, and robust dolphins. They have a prominent, triangular dorsal fin with a broad base, and small flippers with blunt tips. The front half of their body is a light grey colour, which then sweeps into a dark bluish black in their tail half. These dolphins have brilliant white undersides which curve up into finger shaped lobes which point towards their tails. They also have brilliant white armpits just above their flippers! Their heads are unusually cone-shaped, and they have flattened foreheads with no distinct beak.

Field ID:Stocky body; small size; flat forehead, no prominent beak; flippers, flukes and fin are dark; grey anterior; dark posterior; white "armpits"; triangular dorsal fin

Length (metres):Heaviside's dolphins are born measuring in the region of 85cm (34in). They grow to between 1.6 and 1.7 metres (5ft 3in - 5ft 9in)

Weight:Heaviside's dolphins weigh between 40 and 75 kg (90 - 165 lb). Their weight when they are born is not known.

Diet:Fish and maybe squid

Common Name:Hector's dolphin (South Island) and Maui's dolphin (North Island)

Latin Name:Cephalorhynchus hectori (South Island) and Cephalorhynchus hectori maui (North Island)

Scientists from the Department of Conservation (DOC) and Auckland University have found the North Island Hector's dolphins differ from their more numerous South Island cousins in body form, skeletal features and DNA. The North Island dolphins are now classified as a separate subspecies and have been given the new official name Cephalorhynchus hectori maui.

Other Names:Little pied dolphin, New Zealand dolphin, White-front dolphin



Description:Like all Cephalorhynchus dolphins, Hector's dolphins do not have a distinct beak. They are also one of the smallest cetaceans, only growing to 1.5m or less.From a distance they can look almost black but it actually has quite striking and complex markings. They have a white belly, armpits and throat, black dorsal fin and tail, and light grey sides and back. They also have a dorsal fin that is very easy to identify because it is very rounded and leans backwards rather than straight up.

Field ID:Very small size, no prominent beak, rounded dorsal fin which leans backwards.

Length (metres):When they are born Hector's dolphins are between 60 and 75cm long. They grow to between 1.2 and 1.5 metres (4 - 5ft).

Weight:Hector's dolphins weigh approximately 9kg (20lb) when they are born. When they are fully grown they weigh between 35 and 60kg (75 - 130lb).

Diet:Fish, squid and sometimes crustaceans.

Common Name:Hourglass dolphin

Latin Name:Lagenorhynchus cruciger

Other Names:Wilson's dolphin, Southern white-sided dolphin



Description:Not much about is actually known about this dolphin because it lives in the cold waters of the southern hemisphere in the Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic seas. But it is easy to identify with its striking white hourglass pattern, and because it is the only dolphin with a tall dorsal fin, in those waters all year round.

Field ID:Stocky body, Short, thick beak, Flippers, flukes and fin are dark, Black and white in colour, Hourglass pattern on sides, White underside, Tall dorsal fin, Normally in small groups

Length (metres):Adults range from 1.6 - 1.8m

Weight:Adults range from 90-120kg

Diet:Fish and squid

Common Name:Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin

Latin Name:Sousa chinensis

Other Names:Speckled dolphin



Description:Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins can vary in colour from yellow to pink to almost white to medium grey; their bellies are usually the lightest areas.Like bottlenose dolphins, they have a long, slender beaks which may get lighter as they get older. They also have a broad-based dorsal fin that slopes backwards. In some individuals the base can be more than one third of their body length.Those found in the west have a fatty hump which the dorsal fin sits on, those in the east don't have a hump and they can sometimes get confused with bottlenose dolphins.

Field ID:Robust body, Slightly rounded melon, Lighter under-side (belly), Elongated hump , Tail flukes raised when diving, Difficult to approach

Length (metres):Adult grow to about 2 - 2.8m, new-born are about 1m in length.

Weight:Adults weigh about 150 - 200kg, new-borns in the region of 25kg.

Diet:Fish

Common Name:Long-finned pilot whale

Latin Name:Globicephala melas

Other Names:Pothead whale, Caaing whale, Atlantic Pilot whale



Description:Like orcas, the long-finned pilot whale is not really a whale but actually a dolphin. It is jet black or dark grey with a grey or white diagonal stripe behind each eye, and a big round forehead (melon). They are sometimes known as the pothead whale because the shape of their head reminded early whalers of black cooking pots!

Field ID:Stocky body, Bulbous melon , Single blowhole, Very long black flippers, Black or dark grey colour, Backward-leaning fin, Fin set forward on body, Frequently lobtails and spyhops, Prefers deep water.

Length (metres):Male: 4 - 7.6m. Female: 3 - 5.6m. Newborn: 1.8 - 2m.

Weight:Adult: 1.8 - 3.5 tonnes. Birthweight: 75kg.

Diet:Squid and sometimes fish

• Common Name:Melon-headed whale

Latin Name:Peponocephala electra

Other Names:Many-toothed blackfish, Little killer whale, Electra dolphin



Description:The melon-headed whale is slim, with long sharply pointed flippers, a tall dorsal fin in the centre of its back, and a head that is rather like the shape of a watermelon! It has dark grey patches on its back, and on its face which look like a cloak and a mask! The rest of its body is a paler blue/ grey or even black colour, apart from its off white patch on its belly. It also has white or light pink colouring around its mouth which looks like lips! It has 42 to 50 teeth on the upper jaw, and the same number on the bottom jaw. They have a reputation for being fierce after two attacked their handlers in fright, when they were caught for aquariums in the Philippines and Hawaii.

• Field ID:Torpedo shaped body; pointed melon shaped head; no teeth visible; White "lips"; long flippers with a sharply pointed tip; flippers one fifth of body length; dark coloration; tall dorsal fin; broad flukes; normally avoids boats; often bow-rides; dark flippers, tail and fin; slow, deliberate swimmer

Length (metres):Melon-headed whales are only about 1 metre long when born. They grow to an adult length of between 2.1 and 2.7 metres.

Weight:Adults weigh about 160kg

Diet:Fish and squid

Common Name:Northern rightwhale dolphin

Latin Name:Lissodelphis borealis

Other Names:Pacific rightwhale porpoise



Description:As young calves, these dolphins are greyish brown or sometimes cream. They stay like this for a year, before their body turns black in colour, with a clear white belly, and a white tip to their lower jaw. There are rightwhale dolphins in the north Pacific ocean, and in the Southern oceans above Antarctica, around Tazmania, New Zealand, and even South Africa. The dolphins in the Pacific are the Northern rightwhale dolphins, and are longer with less white on their bodies, than the Southern species. Both have no fin on their smoothly curving backs, and are long and sleek compared to other dolphins.They have short thin beaks, and gently sloping foreheads, with pointed tips to their flippers and their tail flukes. They have 74 to 98 teeth on both their upper and lower jaws.

Field ID:Streamlined body; smoothly sloping forehead; short, defined beak, no teeth visible; straight mouthline; irregular white patch on chin; small, narrow flippers; pointed flippers; black and white in colour; light under-side (belly); white underside; no dorsal fin; tail flukes are triangular; calm and silky movements

Length (metres):Adults range from 2-3 metres, new-borns are c. 90cm

Weight:Adults weigh between 60-100kg

Diet:Fish & squid

• Common Name:Killer whale

Latin Name:Orcinus orca

Other Names:Killer Whale, Grampus



Description:

Killer whales (orcas) are large, stocky, and heavy! Their jet black, white and grey markings, and the males' very tall dorsal fin, make them hard to muddle up with other species. In fact, a male's dorsal fin can be as tall as a man, up to 1.8m (6ft) high! It is the tallest dorsal fin in the animal kingdom.

Females have a much smaller fin, theirs is only about half the size and is more curved. Young calves can be a little trickier to identify as their saddle-patch (the patch behind the dorsal fin) can be quite dark and therefore blend into the rest of their bodies; and their light patches (behind the eyes and on the belly) can look a bit pink or rusty coloured.

Researchers use the dorsal fins to identify individual orcas. Different shapes, sizes, nicks and scars help them remember which whale is which. Saddle-patches are also unique to individual whales, no two orcas have exactly the same saddle-patch shape and pattern.Different orca populations vary slightly from one another. For example, those living in the Antarctic are smaller and their patches more yellowy then those in the north, and those off Australia and New Zealand are dark purplish-brown with ivory coloured patches.An orca has between 20 and 26 large sharp teeth in both upper and lower jaws; these curve backwards towards the throat and interlock when the whale closes its mouth. They are perfectly designed for catching and biting their food.

• Field ID:Robust body, Single blowhole, Large paddle-like flippers, Black and white in colour, White chin, Grey saddle-patch, Tall dorsal fin, White patch behind eyes, Fast active swimmer

Length (metres):Orcas are the largest of all the members of the dolphin family. Adults can range from approximately 5.5 to 9.8 metres (18 - 32.25 ft). Males are larger then females, they average 7 - 8 metres, females around 6 metres . New-borns are usually 2.1 to 2.5 metres (7 - 8.25 ft) long.

Weight:Adults weigh anything from 2.6 to 9 tonnes (males are generally heavier then females) and new-borns are approximately 180 kg (395lb)

Diet:Fish, Squid, Seabirds, Turtles, Sealions, Seals, Other cetaceans

Common Name:Pacific white-sided dolphin

Latin Name:Lagenorhynchus obliquidens

Other Names:Lag, Pacific striped dolphin, White-striped dolphin, Hook-finned porpoise



Description:The Pacific white-sided dolphin has a robust body, with a tall dorsal fin and flippers that are dark at the front, and fade to pale grey on the rear. The patterns on each animal tend to vary, but all have a black or grey back, and a thin light grey strip along both sides, which runs from the head and widens into a patch on the rear flank, by the tail. They also have a pale grey patch on each side above their flippers, and a white belly. Their beak is extremely small and black, and they have 42-64 teeth on both their upper and lower jaws.

Field ID:Robust body, Very short beak, no teeth visible, Straight mouthline, Two colours on fin and flippers, Pale grey streak on both sides, Dark upper-side (top), White underside, White "armpits", Tall dorsal fin, Black patch around eye, Fast active swimmer, Highly acrobatic, May approach boats, Curious around boats, often in mixed groups , May be approached, Backward-leaning, rounded fin, Frequently seen in very large groups

Length (metres):Adults can grow between 1.7 and 2.4 metres long. Newborn: 80cm - 1.2m

Weight:85-150 kg when fully grown. Newborn: c.15kg

Diet:Fish, Squid, Octopus

Common Name:Pygmy killer whale

Latin Name:Feresa attenuata

Other Names:Slender blackfish, Slender pilot whale



Description:Pygmy killer whales are about the same size as many dolphins, and have robust bodies, with a dark 'cape' along their back. They have slightly paler blue- black, or brownish grey sides, and a large white patch on their belly which is split in half by a deep groove. Sometimes the body is scarred - perhaps because of struggles with large prey such as dolphins, or with other pygmy killer whales. They have very rounded foreheads without a beak,, and some animals may have a white chin under their lower lip. The dorsal fin is tall and slightly pointed, and the flippers are long with rounded tips. The upper jaw has between 16 and 24 sharply pointed teeth, and the lower jaw has between 20 and 26.

Field ID:Robust body, Small size, Bulbous forehead, no teeth visible, White "lips", White chin, Flippers, flukes and fin are dark, Long, broad, spatulate flippers, Grey / brown in colour, Dark cape (area of the back around the dorsal fin), Tall dorsal fin, White scratches and scars, Fast active swimmer, Highly acrobatic, Shows little of itself at surface, Difficult to approach, Normally avoids boats, Prefers deep water, Normally in small groups

Length (metres):When newborn these whales are 80cm long. Adults grow to be between 2.1 and 2.6 metres in length.

Weight:110-170 kg as adults.

Diet:Fish, Squid, Octopus, Sealions, Seals, Other marine mammals

• Common Name:Risso's dolphin

Latin Name:Grampus griseus

Other Names:Grey dolphin, White-head grampus, Grey grampus



Description:

Risso's dolphins are quite easy to identify, especially when they get older. This is because they become scarred and battered due to being scratched by the teeth of other Risso's dolphins. They only have teeth in the front of their lower jaw and these are used when playing or fighting.When born they are grey all over, and then become chocolate-brown and eventually pale grey with a pale underside. Their flippers and tail remain darker though, and the flukes are broad with pointed tips.They have a very tall dorsal fin which can be up to 50cm in length, the tip of which may be curved or pointed. Instead of a beak, it has a blunt head with bulging forehead that slopes steeply to the mouth which curves upwards.

• Field ID:Robust body, abrupt forehead, single blowhole, grey in colour, lighter under-side (belly), tall dorsal fin, white scratches and scars.

Length (metres):Adults range from about 2.6 to 3.8m (8.5 to 12.5ft), and new-borns from 1.3 to 1.7m (4.25 to 5.75ft).

Weight:Adults weigh 300 - 500kg

Diet:Squid and fish

Common Name:Rough-toothed dolphin

Latin Name:Steno bredanensis

Other Names:Slopehead



Description:Rough-toothed dolphins get their name from the vertical ridges or wrinkles found on their teeth. However, as these are impossible to see, other features must be relied on when identifying them. They can be mistaken for bottlenoses but unlike other dolphins, rough-toothed dolphins do not have prominent beaks with a crease between their beak and forehead. Their long narrow beak blends smoothly into the forehead and some people have described them as looking like reptiles. Their skin is dark grey or blue-grey, sometimes with a hint of purple. The area around their mouths is often white or pinkish white especially on the underside where the whiteness covers the throat too. They have large eyes which are surrounded by a dark patch of skin. Rough-toothed dolphins have quite slim bodies, especially behind the dorsal fin which has a wide base and curves backwards. Their flippers are large and set quite far back on their body. The flukes have pointed tips and a notch in the middle. Rough-toothed dolphins often have spots or blotches on their lower body and they are often scarred too. They have between 38 and 52 teeth in the upper jaw and between 38 and 56 in the lower jaw. Different populations may look slightly different to each other, especially the animals living in the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific population.

Field ID:Streamlined body, Narrow head, Smoothly sloping forehead, no teeth visible, White "lips", Blue-grey skin colour, Pale blotches, Dark cape (area of the back around the dorsal fin), White underside, Tall dorsal fin, Black patch around eye, Fast active swimmer, May float motionless at the surface, Normally in small groups, Long, slender beak

Length (metres):Male rough-toothed dolphins are between 2.2 and 2.6 metres (7ft-8ft 6in) in length. The females are between 2.3 and 2.4 metres (7ft 6in and 8 ft). When they are born, the calves are about 1m (39in) long.

Weight:We do not know how heavy newborn rough-toothed dolphins are, but adults weigh between 100 and 150 kg (200-330lb).


• Common Name:Short-finned pilot whale

Latin Name:Globicephala macrorhynchus

Other Names:Pothead whale, Pacific pilot whale, Shortfin pilot whale



Description:

Short-finned pilot whales can be confused with their relatives the long-finned pilot whales, but there are various differences. Their flippers are shorter than those of the long-finned pilot whale (which is where they both obviously get their name from), with a gentler curve on the edge. They have fewer teeth than long-finned pilot whales, with 14 to 18 on each jaw. Short-finned pilot whales are black or dark grey with a grey or white cape. They have grey or almost white patches on their bellies and throats and a grey or white stripe which goes diagonally upwards from behind each eye. Adult males may have a number of scars on their bodies. Their heads are bulbous and this can become more defined in older males. Their dorsal fins vary in shape depending on how old the whale is and whether it is male or female. They have flukes with sharply pointed tips, a distinct notch in the middle and concave edges. They tend to be quite slender when they are young, becoming more stocky as they get older.

Field ID:Stocky body, Bulbous forehead , No prominent beak, Long flippers with a sharply pointed tip, Black or dark grey colour, Fin set forward on body, Tail flukes raised before deep dive, May float motionless at the surface, Frequently seen in very large groups, Prefers deep water, May be approached.

Length (metres):Adults are 3.5 - 6.5 metres in length. When they are born short-finned pilot whales are about 1.4-1.9 metres long.

Weight:At birth, short-finned pilot whales weigh about 60kg (135lb). A fully grown adult will weigh between 1 and 4 tonnes.


Common Name:Southern rightwhale dolphin

Latin Name:Lissodelphis peronii

Other Names:Mealy-mouthed porpoise



Description:Southern rightwhale dolphins are the only dolphins without dorsal fins in the southern hemisphere. They are smaller than the northern rightwhale dolphins and have more white on their head and sides. They have slim, graceful bodies which are black on the upper side and white underneath. Their flippers are mainly white and are small and curved. Their flukes are small with a notch in the middle and concave trailing edges. Their beaks are small but distinct. They have between 43 and 49 teeth in each row of both jaws.

Field ID:Streamlined body, Short, defined beak, no teeth visible, Single blowhole, Black and white in colour, White underside, No fin, Fast active swimmer, May approach boats

Length (metres):Newborn calves are about 80cm (32in) to 1m (39in) in length. Adults are between 1.8 and 2.9 metres (6ft-9ft 6in). Females tend to be slightly longer than males.

Weight:We do not know how much southern rightwhale dolphins weigh at birth, but adults weigh between 60 and 100 kg (130-220lb).


• Common Name:Spinner dolphin (Long-snouted)

Latin Name:Stenella longirostris

Other Names:Longsnout, Long-beaked dolphin, Rollover



Description:There are a number of different varieties of long-snouted spinner dolphins, each with slightly different body shapes, colours and sizes. They all have long, slender beaks and tall upright dorsal fins. They have a small notch in their flukes. Most of them have three tones of colour, with a dark top through to a light belly.The eastern Pacific variety is mainly dark grey with a creamy white area on the belly and a dark stripe from the eye to the flipper. The whitebelly form has three very distinct colour patches and the underside is almost completely white. The Hawaiian form also has three distinct colours, but is darker than the whitebelly form. They all have long, pointed flippers and gently sloping foreheads with a crease where it joins the beak. The dorsal fin shape varies between different populations. It leans forward in the eastern Pacific form, is more triangular in the whitebelly and is slightly curved in the Hawaiian. There is also a Costa Rican form living in the eastern Pacific and a "dwarf" form in the Gulf of Thailand.

• Field ID:Streamlined body, Long, slender beak, Long flippers with a sharply pointed tip, Black stripe from eye to flipper, Dark upper-side (top), Lighter under-side (belly), Tall dorsal fin, Fast active swimmer, Highly acrobatic, Curious around boats, Often bow-rides, Frequently seen in very large groups.

Length (metres):Newborn long-snouted spinner dolphins are 70-85cm long. Adults can be anywhere between 1.3 - 2.1 metres long. Animals from the eastern Pacific population tend to be the largest and those from the Gulf of Thailand are the smallest.

Weight:Adult long-snouted spinner dolphins weigh between 45 and 75kg.

Diet:Fish, Krill and/or other crustaceans, Squid, Octopus

Common Name:Spinner dolphin (Short-snouted)

Latin Name:Stenella clymene

Other Names:Clymene dolphin, Helmet dolphin, Senegal dolphin



Description:Short-snouted spinner dolphins can easily be confused with long-snouted spinner dolphins. They are slightly more robust than long-snouted spinners, have less triangular dorsal fins and shorter beaks. They have a three toned colour pattern, like the long-snouted spinners, but the dark gray or black cape comes down and almost touches the white underside. Their beaks have black tips and the lower jaw is usually white. A dark line on the top of the beak, may look like a moustache! They have a pale stripe leading from the beak to the blowhole and dark flecks of colour in the paler areas of skin. Their flippers are usually dark and slim and a grey stripe links the flipper to the eye. The short-snouted spinner dolphin has between 39 and 49 teeth in each upper row and between 38 and 47 in each lower row of teeth.

Field ID:Robust body, short dark tipped beak, White chin, Long flippers with a sharply pointed tip, Dark cape (area of the back around the dorsal fin), White underside, Small fin, Sickle-shaped dorsal fin, Fast active swimmer, Highly acrobatic, May approach boats, Often bow-rides, Frequently seen in very large groups

Length (metres):Newborns are about 80cm long and adults are between 1.7 and 2 metres.

Weight:Adults weigh between 50kg and 90kg (110-200lb). We do not know how much they weigh at birth.


• Common Name:Spotted dolphin (Atlantic)

Latin Name:Stenella frontalis

Other Names:Spotted porpoise, Spotter, Bridled dolphin, Gulf Stream spotted dolphin, Long-snouted dolphin



Description:

The Atlantic spotted dolphin looks very similar to the pantropical spotted dolphin. The Atlantic Spotted dolphin tends to be more robust, with more spots and darker skin. As the dolphins get older, they develop more spots. Atlantic spotted dolphins have dark purple/grey capes with light spots, and white undersides with dark spots. Along each side they have a wide grey stripe. Their beaks are quite long and thick with white tips and white "lips". There is a light grey stripe running from the eye to the flipper which is curved with a pointed tip. Atlantic spotted dolphins have between 32 and 42 teeth in each row of the upper jaw and between 30 and 40 teeth in each row of the lower jaw. There are coastal and offshore groups and these can be quite different to each other. The offshore form tends to be smaller than the coastal and has fewer spots.

Field ID:Robust body; long beak; white "lips"; pointed flippers; dark cape (area of the back around the dorsal fin); light under-side (belly); sickle-shaped dorsal fin; tall dorsal fin; fast active swimmer; highly acrobatic; often bow-rides

Length (metres):New-borns are between 80cm and 1.2 metres (32in 4ft) in length. Adults are between 1.7 and 2.3 metres (5ft 9in and 7ft 6in).

Weight:Adults weigh between 100 and 140 kg (220-310 lb). The birth weight of Atlantic spotted dolphins is not known.

Diet:Fish, squid and sometimes invertebrates (animals without a backbone such as starfish)

Common Name:Spotted dolphin (Pantropical)

Latin Name:Stenella attenuata

Other Names:White-spotted dolphin, Bridled dolphin, Spotter, Spotted porpoise, Slender-beaked dolphin



Description:There are two different forms of pantropical spotted dolphins; coastal and offshore. The coastal dolphins are larger with thicker beaks and more spots. You would think that spotted dolphins would be easy to identify, but sometimes they don't have many spots. Some of the pantropical spotted dolphins in Hawaii and the Gulf of Mexico aren't spotted at all! Also, when they are born they have no spots, so it is easy to get them muddled up with other dolphins such as the bottlenose. Pantropical spotted dolphins are very similar to Atlantic spotted dolphins. They have a dark grey cape on the top of their body, then a lighter grey area along the middle of the body and a pale grey underside. They have light spots on their dark skin and dark spots on their light skin. Their beaks are long and thin with a dark patch on top which goes back in a stripe around the eye. They also have a dark stripe going from under their mouth to their flippers which are dark too. Pantropical spotted dolphins have small flippers with pointed tips, sickle-shaped dorsal fins and a notch in their flukes which also have pointed tips. They have 70-96 teeth in their upper jaw and 68-94 in their lower jaw.

Field ID:Long, slender beak; no teeth visible; white "lips"; flippers, flukes and fin are dark; dark cape (area of the back around the dorsal fin); lighter under-side (belly); sickle-shaped dorsal fin; tall dorsal fin; black patch around eye; fast active swimmer; often bow-rides; frequently seen in very large groups

Length (metres):Adult pantropical spotted dolphins are between 1.7 and 2.4 metres (5ft 9in - 8ft) long. They are about 80 - 90cm (32-35in) at birth.

Weight:The birth weight of pantropical spotted dolphins is not known, but adults weigh between 90 and 115kg (200-255lb).

Diet:Fish, squid and sometimes crustaceans

Common Name:Striped dolphin

Latin Name:Stenella coeruleoalba

Other Names:Whitebelly, Euphrosyne dolphin, Blue-white dolphin, Meyen's dolphin, Gray's dolphin, Streaker porpoise



Description:The striped dolphin is fairly easy to identify from the distinctive strips on its sides and the pink undersides of some. One of its distinctive features is the pale grey, finger-shaped marking below the dorsal fin. The other unique feature is a black line that stretches from beak, around the eye patch to the underside of the rear flank.These features are easily seem when they race along with flying leaps. The striped dolphin is very streamlined with a long beak and large dorsal fin.

Field ID:Streamlined body; long slender beak; black stripe from eye to flipper; pale finger marking below fin; white or pink underside; fast active swimmer; often bow-rides; dark flippers, tail and fin

Length (metres):Males are 1.9 - 2.6m, females 1.9 -2.1m, and new-borns about 1m (39in)

Weight:Adults range from 90 to 150kg

Diet:Fish, squid and crustaceans

Common Name:Tucuxi

Latin Name:Sotalia fluviatilis

Other Names:Sotalia, Estuarine dolphin, Grey dolphin



Description:Tucuxis are one of the smallest of all whales and dolphins. They have compact little bodies with quite a triangular dorsal fin which is often hook-shaped on top. The dorsal fin sometimes has a patch on the tip where it has been scraped on the seabed or river bed. Their forehead (melon) is quite rounded and they have a longish beak with up to 140 teeth.Individual tucuxis and populations can differ quite a lot in colour. They can be light to medium grey, bluish-grey, or even brownish-grey on top, and pale grey, white or pink underneath. Many of them actually grow paler as they grow older.They have large, broad flippers that are the same colour as the top of their bodies.

Field ID:Compact body, Small size, Slightly rounded melon, Single blowhole, Dark upper-side (top), Light under-side (belly), Triangular dorsal fin, Fast active swimmer

Length (metres):Tucuxi's are very small are measure between 70 and 80cm (28 - 32in) when they are born. Adults are usually between 1.3 and 1.8 metres (4ft 3in - 6ft) long.

Weight:Adult Tucuxi's weigh between 34 and 45 kg (75 - 100lb).

Diet:Fish, Krill and/or other crustaceans

Common Name:White-beaked dolphin

Latin Name:Lagenorhynchus albirostris

Other Names:White-nosed dolphin, Squidhound, White-beaked porpoise



Description: Strangely, the white-beaked dolphin may not have a white beak at all - sometimes the beak is even black! In general, those that live in the east of their range tend to have white beaks whilst those of the west Atlantic have darker beaks. This is a large species of dolphin, with a very rounded body, and a tall dorsal fin in the centre of the back. Their beaks are short and thick, and are either all white, or white and black/grey. They have a black or grey back, flippers, and tail, with a white or light grey belly. The best way to spot this species of dolphin is by the white patch on its back, which is just behind the dorsal fin.

Field ID:Robust body; short, thick beak; White, grey or brown beak; pointed flippers; body mainly black or grey; white stripe on each side; light under-side (belly); tall dorsal fin; fast active swimmer; dark flippers, tail and fin

Length (metres):Adults range from 2.5 to 2.8 metres (8.25 - 9.25ft), new-borns are usually 1.2 to 1.6 metres (4 - 5.25ft).

Weight:Adult s weigh 180 to 275 kg, new-borns in the region of 40kg

Diet:Fish, squid and sometimes crustaceans.

• Common Name:Amazon river dolphin

Latin Name:Inia geoffrensis

Other Names:Boto, Bufeo (Colombia), Tonina (Orinoco), Pink river dolphin


Sub Classification:Iniidae

Description:Amazon river dolphins are the largest and most commonly seen of all the different species of river dolphin. They have sturdy bodies, big paddle-like flippers and a dorsal ridge instead of a dorsal fin. Like other river dolphins, they have small eyes and very long beaks, with short bristles on both upper and lower jaws. Their long beaks can hold up to 140 teeth.They also have a bulging forehead or "melon" with quite chubby cheeks that may get in the way when they are looking downwards - this could explain why they are often seen swimming upside down!Because they live amongst roots, trunks and branches of seasonally flooded rainforests, these river dolphins have flexible bodies to be able to weave around them. They can turn their heads much further than most dolphins as some of their vertebrae aren't fused together.Perhaps one of the most amazing things about Amazon river dolphins is that they can appear to change colour! Adults vary from grey to bright pink (or are a mixture of both) - they can become pinker when they are very active and change back to grey when they slow down!

Field ID:Coloration varies from off-white to blue-grey to vivid pink, long beak, ridge instead of dorsal fin, large paddle-like flippers, slow swimmer, may approach boats.

Length (metres):Adult females grow up to 2.3 metres (5ft - 7ft 6in). Males are larger and grow up to 2.7 metres (6ft 6in - 9ft). Newborns are usually only about 75cm (31in) long.

Weight:Adults normally weigh somewhere between 85 and 160 kg (185 - 355 lb). Newborn calves weigh about 7 kg (15 lb).

Diet:Over fifty species of fish.

• Common Name:Baiji

Latin Name:Lipotes vexillifer

Other Names:Yangtze river dolphin, Pei C'hi, Whitefin dolphin, Whiteflag dolphin, Chinese river dolphin


Sub Classification:Pontoporiidae

Description:The Baiji's upper body and sides are pale bluish grey, whilst the under belly is white or greyish-white. In common with other river dolphins, the Baiji or Chinese river dolphin has a long, narrow beak that grows longer with age. They also have tiny eyes and are almost blind, but the murky river waters make eyes relatively useless anyway. The fin is very low and triangular in shape and the flippers are rounded and short. The fluke has a distinctive middle notch and just like the body, is bluish above and almost white underneath. They have an average of 65 teeth in each row of both jaws.

Field ID:Stocky body, steep forehead, long slender beak, tiny eyes, large paddle-like flippers, blue-grey skin colour, light underside (belly), stubby dorsal fin, shy and easily frightened hence difficult to approach

Length (metres):Baiji's are 80 to 90 cm (32 - 35 in) long when they are born. Adults are 2 - 2.4 metres (6 ft 6 in - 8 ft) long.

Weight:When they are born, baiji's weigh between 2.5 and 4.8 kg (6 - 11 lb). Adult baiji's weigh between 100 and 160 kg (220 - 355 lb).

Diet:Fish

• Common Name:Franciscana

Latin Name:Pontoporia blainvillei

Other Names:La Plata dolphin


Sub Classification:Pontoporiidae

Description:Franciscanas have a very unusual feature - the length of their beaks. In relation to their body size, Franciscanas have the longest beak of any dolphin. Their bodies are greyish brown on the upper side, but this may lighten during winter and with age; some older animals are predominantly white. Their dorsal fins are slightly rounded with a long base which continues as a ridge to the tail stock. Their flukes are extremely broad with a width up to one-third of their body length. Their eyes are small but very well developed. In their upper jaws, they have between 106 and 116 teeth and in their lower jaws they have between 102 and 112 teeth.

Field ID:Small size, small head with rounded forehead, grey / brown in colour, extremely long, slender beak, Calm, smooth movements, shows little of itself at surface

Length (metres):When they are born, Franciscanas are about 70cm (28in) long . They grow to between 1.3 and 1.7 metres (4ft 3in - 5ft 9in).

Weight:When they are born, they weigh between 7.3 and 8.5 kg (16 - 19lb). Adults weigh between 30 and 53 kg (65 - 115lb).

Diet:Fish, crustaceans, squid

• Common Name:Ganges river dolphin

Latin Name:Platanista gangetica

Other Names:Susu, Gangetica dolphin, Blind river dolphin


Sub Classification:Platanistidae

Description:Ganges river dolphins are almost identical to Indus river dolphins but are separated from them by land. They have some internal differences to the Indus river dolphin, but look the same on the outside and have similar habits. They are the only cetaceans that don't have a crystalline eye lens, which means that they are blind! So, to get around, they use their well-developed echolocation system. It is so murky in the water where they live, that good eyesight would be pretty useless anyway! Their most striking feature is a long beak which thickens towards the end. It contains long, sharp teeth which are visible even when the mouth is closed. They don't have any patches of colour on their stocky bodies but the colour of the animals can range from greyish-blue, to blue or even chocolate brown. They have round bellies.

Field ID:Stocky body, Small head, Long, slender beak, Beak often lifted clear of surface, Large paddle-like flippers, Grey / brown in colour, Hump instead of dorsal fin, May swim on its side, Normally in small groups or alone

Length (metres):When they are born, they measure 70 to 90cm (28 - 35in). Adult Ganges river dolphins are between 1.5 and 2.5 metres (5ft - 8ft 3in) long.

Weight:Newborn Ganges river dolphins weigh 7.5 kg (17lb). They weigh between 70 and 90 kg (155 - 200lb) when they are fully grown.

Diet:Fish and crustaceans

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