List of dolphin species
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dolphins are from the toothed whale group of whales, the Odontoceti. The word can be used to mean any member of the families Delphinidae and Platanistoidea (oceanic and river dolphins), and is often used as a synonym for the bottlenose dolphin the most well known dolphin.
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[edit] Oceanic dolphins
Oceanic dolphins are the members of the Delphinidae family of the sub-order Odontoceti of Cetaceaans. As the name implies, these dolphins tend to be found in the open seas, unlike the river dolphins, although a few species such as the Irrawaddy Dolphin are coastal or riverine.
Six of the larger species in the Delphinidae, the Pilot whales, and the Orca and its relatives, are commonly called whales, rather than dolphins. They are also sometimes collectively known as "blackfish".
The Delphinidae vary in size from 1.2 metres and 40 kg (Heaviside's Dolphin), up to 7 meters and 4.5 tonnes (the Orca). Most species weigh between about 50 and about 200 kg. They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and all are carnivores, mostly taking fish and squid.
- Commerson's Dolphin, Cephalorhyncus commersonii
- Chilean Dolphin, Cephalorhyncus eutropia
- Heaviside's Dolphin, Cephalorhyncus heavisidii
- Hector's Dolphin, Cephalorhyncus hectori
- Long-beaked Common Dolphin, Delphinus capensis
- Short-beaked Common Dolphin, Delphinus delphis
- Arabian Common Dolphin, Delphinus tropicalis
- Pygmy Killer Whale, Feresa attenuata
- Short-finned Pilot Whale, Globicephala macrorhyncus
- Long-finned Pilot Whale, Globicephala melas
- Risso's Dolphin, Grampus griseus
- Fraser's Dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei
- Atlantic White-sided Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus acutus
- White-beaked Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris
- Peale's Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus australis
- Hourglass Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus cruciger
- Pacific White-sided Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens
- Dusky Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obscurus
- Northern Right Whale Dolphin, Lissodelphis borealis
- Southern Right Whale Dolphin, Lissodelphis peronii
- Irrawaddy Dolphin, Orcaella brevirostris
- Australian Snubfin Dolphin, Orcaella heinsohni - 2005 discovery
- Killer Whale, Orcinus orca
- Melon-headed Whale, Peponocephala electra
- False Killer Whale, Pseudorca crassidens
- Tucuxi, Sotalia fluviatilis
- Pacific Humpback Dolphin, Sousa chinensis
- Indian Humpback Dolphin, Sousa plumbea
- Atlantic Humpback Dolphin, Sousa teuszii
- Pantropical Spotted Dolphin, Stenella attenuata
- Clymene Dolphin, Stenella clymene
- Striped Dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba
- Atlantic Spotted Dolphin, Stenella frontalis
- Spinner Dolphin, Stenella longirostris
- Rough-toothed Dolphin, Steno bredanensis
- Indian Ocean Bottlenose Dolphin, Tursiops aduncus
- Common Bottlenose Dolphin, Tursiops truncatus
[edit] River dolphins
River dolphins are four species of dolphin which reside in freshwater rivers and estuaries. They are classed in the Platanistoidea superfamily of the Odontoceti sub-order of Cetacea. Three species live in fresh water rivers. The fourth species, the La Plata Dolphin, lives in saltwater estuaries and the ocean. However it is scientifically classed in the river dolphin family rather than the oceanic dolphin family.
- Amazon River Dolphin, Inia geoffrensis
- Chinese River Dolphin, Lipotes vexillifer
- La Plata Dolphin, Pontoporia blainvillei
- Ganges and Indus River Dolphin, Platanista gangetica - In some publications these are known as separate species.
[edit] See also
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- Cetacea
- Odontoceti
- List of cetaceans
- List of whale species
- List of porpoise species
- List of whale songs
[edit] References
- Rice, Dale W. (1998). "Marine mammals of the world: systematics and distribution": 231pp.
- Mead, James G. and Robert L. Brownell, Jr (November 16 2005). Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 723-743. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.
