Mammalia |
Cetartiodactyla |
Delphinidae
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Pelagic; oceanodromous (Ref. 75906); depth range 0 - 1316 m (Ref. 116169). Tropical
208994 Tursiops truncatus gephyreus. Southwest Atlantic.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?, range 240 - 260 cm Max length : 380 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 1394); max. published weight: 650.0 kg (Ref. 1394)
This coastal subspecies (Tursiops truncatus geyphyreus) can be distinguished from the nominate offshore subspecies (Tursiops truncatus truncatus) by the following diagnosable cranial features: W-shaped border of the antorbital notch (vs. U-shaped); barely or not visible interparietal bone (vs. clearly visible); cranial vertex from the posterior end of nasals to the nuchal crest is short and rectangular (vs. long and squared); left nasal bone noticeably smaller and more compressed antero-posteriorly than the right (vs. nearly symmetrical); Falciform lateral margin of the ascending process of right premaxilla (vs. straight or slightly concave); lateral margin of the ascending process of the maxillae over the preorbital process is deflected dorsally (vs. flat) (Ref. 128824).
Preyed upon by great white sharks (Ref. 32140). Dolphins are directly caught for use as shark-bait in Sta. Ana and Aparri, Philippines (Ref. 77119). Found primarily in coastal and inshore regions of tropical and temperate waters of the world (Ref. 936) and deeper channels between islands (Ref. 122680). Also inhabits pelagic waters, such as those in the eastern tropical Pacific (Ref. 936). In herds of less than 20 individuals (Ref. 801). Feeds either cooperatively or in solitary. They can obtain prey via 'fish whacking' and steering fish onto mudflats (Ref. 122680). Feeds on fish (Refs. 801, 936) crustaceans, and cephalopods (Ref. 801).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Tan, J.M.L. 1995 A Field Guide to the Whales and Dolphins in the Philippines. Makati City: Bookmark. 125 p. (Ref. 936)
CITES status (Ref. 108899)
Threat to humans
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; bait: usually
FAO - Fisheries: landings, species profile | FishSource |
Tools
More information
Trophic EcologyFood items (preys)
Diet composition
Food consumption
Predators
Population dynamicsGrowthMax. ages / sizesLength-weight rel.Length-length rel.Length-frequenciesMass conversionAbundance Life cycleReproduction
Maturity
Fecundity
Spawning
Eggs
Egg development
Larvae
PhysiologyOxygen consumption
Human RelatedStamps, coins, misc.
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature
(Ref.
115969): 6.4 - 28.9, mean 20.3 (based on 16698 cells).
Fishing Vulnerability
Very high vulnerability (76 of 100).
Price category
Unknown.
