Short-Beaked Common Dolphin
The Short-Beaked Common Dolphins is a species of common dolphin. It has a larger range than the long-beaked common dolphin (D. capensis), occurring throughout warm-temperate and tropical oceans, with the possible exception of the Indian Ocean.There are more short-beaked common dolphins than any other dolphin species in the warm-temperate portions of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is also found in the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas.
Physical Characteristics[]
The short-beaked common dolphin is a medium sized dolphin, smaller than the more widely-known bottlenose dolphin. Adults range between 1.6 and 2 meters (5.2 and 6.6 ft), long, and can weigh between 70 and 235 kilograms (150 and 520 lb), although a range between 70 and 110 kilograms (150 and 240 lb) is more common. 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. It has a long, thin rostrum with 50–60 small, sharp, interlocking teeth on each side of each jaw.
Behavior[]
Short-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. It is a fast swimmer (up to 60 km/h), and breaching behavior and aerial acrobatics are common with this species.
Food[]
The short-beaked common dolphin has a varied diet consisting of many species of fish and squid that live less than 200 meters (660 ft) deep.