Common Dolphins

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Dolphin Facts

Common dolphins vary greatly in appearance. One of the features of common dolphins include a dark band around their eyes extending to the end of their long narrow beaks. common dolphins also have black backs, white undersides, and prominent gray and yellowish-brown stripes on their sides resembling an elaborate criss-cross or hourglass pattern.
There are two major varieties of common dolphins called the short beaked common dolphin and the long beaked common dolphin. The body of the short beaked common dolphin is slightly more robust and the head is more rounded. There are also differences in behaviors and feeding patterns.

Scientific Name: Delphinus capensis
Other Names: Saddleback dolphin, Criss-cross dolphin, Cape dolphin
Length: 5.8-8 ft. (1.7-2.4 m.)
Weight: 155-245 lbs. (70-110 kg.)
Teeth: 160-240

Subspecies
Two forms (possibly subspecies) - long and short beaked. Otherwise very variable.

Life span
Unknown.

Statistics
Common dolphins are one of the smallest dolphins, with a body length of 1.7-2.4m and weighing 70-110kg.

Physical Description
Common dolphins are mainly black or dark brown. The eyes are encircled with black markings that extend to the beak. The belly is white, the sides are tan or yellow and the tailstock is grey. They have a dark line running from the flipper to the beak.

Distribution
This species is found throughout the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. They are abundant in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as in the Black Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Red Sea.

Diet
Common dolphins feed on small fish as well as squid and octopus.

Behaviour
They are very social and are seldom alone. The whole school (usually 10-500 individuals) can all be in the air at one time.

Conservation status
Common dolphins are not thought to be endangered. Global threats include hunting, human disturbance, habitat loss, prey depletion, pollution and entanglement in nets.

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