Long-beaked Common Dolphin

Taxobox
name = Long-beaked Common DolphinMSW3 Cetacea|id=14300044]
status = DD
status_system = iucn3.1
status_ref =IUCN2008|assessors=Hammond, P.S., Bearzi, G., Bjørge, A., Forney, K., Karczmarski, L., Kasuya, T., Perrin, W.F., Scott, M.D., Wang, J.Y., Wells, R.S. & Wilson, B.|year=2008|id=6337|title=Delphinus capensis|downloaded=7 October 2008]
image2_caption = Size comparison an average human
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Cetacea
familia = Delphinidae
genus = "Delphinus"
species = "D. capensis"
binomial = "Delphinus capensis"
binomial_authority = Gray, 1828
range_map 65gtycetacea_range_map_Long-beaked_Common_Dolphin.png range_map_caption = Long-beaked Common Dolphin rangeThe Long-beaked Common Dolphin ("Delphinus capensis") is a species of Common Dolphin. It has a more restricted range than the Short-beaked Common Dolphin ("D. delphis"). It has a disjointed range in coastal areas in tropical and warmer temperate oceans. The range includes parts of western and southern Africa, much of western South America, southern California to central Mexico, coastal Peru, areas around Japan, Korea and Taiwan, and possibly near Oman.

Physical characteristics

The Long-beaked Common dolphin is a medium sized dolphin, smaller than the more popular bottlenose dolphin. Adults range between convert|1.9|and|2.5|m|ft|lk=on, long, and can weigh between convert|80|and|235|kg|lb|lk=on, although a range between convert|80|and|150|kg|lb|lk=on is more common.cite book|title=Whales, Dolphins and Other Marine Mammals of the World|author=Shirihai, H. & Jarrett, B.|year=2006|page=174–176|isbn=0-691-12757-3] Males are generally longer and heavier. The color pattern on the body is unusual. The back is dark and the belly is white, while on each side is an hourglass pattern colored light grey, yellow or gold in front and dirty grey in back.cite book|title=Guide to Marine Mammals of the World|author=Reeves, Stewart, Clapham, Powell|page=388|id=ISBN 0-375-41141-0] It has a long, thin rostrum with up to 50–60 small, sharp, interlocking teeth on each side of each jaw. [cite web|title=The Common Dolphin|url=http://library.thinkquest.org/17963/genus-Delphinus.html|accessdate=2008-07-03]

Taxonomy

The Short-beaked Common Dolphin is a member of common dolphin genus, "Delphinus" within the dolphin family, Delphinidae. Until the mid-1990's, the different forms within "Delphinus" were not recognized as separate species, but were all considered members of the species "D. delphis".cite book|title=Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals|author=Perrin, W.|chapter=Common Dolphins|editor=Perrin, W.; Wursig, B. and Thewissen, J.|page=245–248|year=2002|publisher=Academic Press|isbn=0-12-551340-2] Currently, there are two recognized species of "Delphinus" - the Short-beaked Common Dolphin ("D. delphis") and the Long-beaked Common Dolphin.MSW3 Cetacea|id=14300043] The Long-beaked Common Dolphin is generally larger than the Short-beaked Common Dolphin and has a longer rostrum.

The Indo-Pacific Common Dolphin is sometimes considered a separate species ("D. tropicalis") but is more often considered a form of the Long-beaked Common Dolphin.

Behavior

Long-beaked Common Dolphins can live in aggregations of hundreds or even thousands of dolphins. They sometimes associate with other dolphin species, such as pilot whales. They have also been observed bow riding on baleen whales, and they also bow ride on boats. Breaching behavior and arial acrobatics are common with this species.

Diet

The Long-beaked Common Dolphin has a varied diet consisting of many species of fish and squid that live less than convert|200|m|ft|lk=on deep.

Reproduction

The Long-beaked Common Dolphin has a gestation period of 10 to 11 months. The newborn calf has a length of between convert|80|and|100|cm|ft|lk=on and a weight of about convert|10|kg|lb|lk=on. Typical interbirth interval ranges from 1 to 3 years. In captivity, the Long-beaked Common Dolphin has hybridized with the Common Bottlenose Dolphin ("Tursiops truncatus").

References

External links

* [http://www.wdcs.org: Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society]