Ecology Summary - Delphinus delphis

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Ecology of Delphinus delphis

Main Ref.	Jefferson, T.A., S. Leatherwood and M.A. Webber, 1993
Remarks	Inhabits neritic waters over continental shelves (Ref. 80684). Usually found offshore. Commonly in large herds of 30 or more individuals (Ref. 801). Feeds on small schooling fish and squid; at night on creatures associated with the deep scattering layer (DSL), which migrates towards the surface in the dark (Ref. 1394). Preyed upon by great white sharks (Ref. 8891). Delphinus capensis tropicalis: They were reported to bow ride although not in areas particularly where hunting occurs. Schools in offshore areas are somewhat larger than coastal ones. Some form mixed schools with spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris), and remains on the outskirts of the spinner school generally. Sexual maturity probably occurs at 200 cm. It is associated with Sardinella sp., various tunas, stomach nematodes, cirriped barnacles, and the isopod Cirolana parva (Ref. 79556).

Main Ref.

Jefferson, T.A., S. Leatherwood and M.A. Webber, 1993

Remarks

Inhabits neritic waters over continental shelves (Ref. 80684). Usually found offshore. Commonly in large herds of 30 or more individuals (Ref. 801). Feeds on small schooling fish and squid; at night on creatures associated with the deep scattering layer (DSL), which migrates towards the surface in the dark (Ref. 1394). Preyed upon by great white sharks (Ref. 8891). Delphinus capensis tropicalis: They were reported to bow ride although not in areas particularly where hunting occurs. Schools in offshore areas are somewhat larger than coastal ones. Some form mixed schools with spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris), and remains on the outskirts of the spinner school generally. Sexual maturity probably occurs at 200 cm. It is associated with Sardinella sp., various tunas, stomach nematodes, cirriped barnacles, and the isopod Cirolana parva (Ref. 79556).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Delphinus delphis may be found.

Habitat

Substrate	Pelagic;
Substrate Ref.
Special habitats
Special habitats Ref.

Associations

Ref.	Jefferson, T.A., S. Leatherwood and M.A. Webber, 1993
Associations
Associated with
Association remarks
Parasitism

feeding

Feeding type	mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref.	Jefferson, T.A., S. Leatherwood and M.A. Webber, 1993
Feeding habit	hunting macrofauna (predator)
Feeding habit Ref.	Jefferson, T.A., S. Leatherwood and M.A. Webber, 1993

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	original sample		unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition	4.50	0.77			Troph of adults.
From individual food items	4.49	0.91			Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.	Silva, M., 1999

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