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MAMMAL FACTS |
Description
The Short-beaked Common Dolphin is black or dark brown with white or cream underside. The flippers are the same color as the back (black or dark brown). There is a pale marking along the side that separates the dark back from white underside. This band is yellowish tan on front half of body and pale gray on the back half of the body forming an hourglass or cross-hatch pattern. The dorsal fin that is triangular. The beak is long and pointed. The jaws on each side of the beak are lined have 20 or more small sharp teeth.
Size
One of the smallest dolphins. Length 1.6m - 2.2m. Females are slightly smaller than males.
Habitat
coastal waters, around reefs, open ocean
Food
small fish, squid and octopus
Breeding
Single young is born (rarely twins or triplets) after gestation of 11 to 12 months. The newborn calf is 1m long and weighs about 10kg - 14kg.
Range
throughout the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The Short-beaked Common Dolphin is usually found offshore while the Long-beaked Common Dolphin is found in coastal waters.
Credits:
Map is from Atlas of Living Australia website at https://biocache.ala.org.au licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Classification
| Class: | Mammalia | | Order: | Cetacea | | Family: | Delphinidae | | Genus: | Delphinus | | Species: | delphis | | Common Name: | Short-beaked Common Dolphin |
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