Scientific Name: Lagenorhynchus australis
Other Names: Blackchin Dolphin, Southern Dolphin
Length: 6.5-7.3 ft. (2-2.4 m.)
Weight: approx. 255 lbs. (115 kg.)
Teeth: 108-132

This species inhabits remote areas of the southern hemisphere. Observation of this species is very hard, therefore, we have little information about them. There are only about twenty specimens known. They have been seen in the company of risso's dolphins. There are concerns about peale's dolphins being caught in fish nets and being hunted with harpoons for use as crab bait.

Description:
These dolphins have robust bodies, with a grayish black back and dorsal fin. This dark coloring, carries on down their gently sloping forehead to their face, ending abruptly at their chin. The Peale's dolphin does have a beak, but it is short and unobvious and can be lighter or darker grey depending on the animal. Above each eye, there is a pale grey/ white streak running from the head, to the tail flank. Each eye has a dark patch around it, and behind that, the sides of the dolphin fade to a grayish white color.

The dolphins have bright white bellies, and a small patch of white just above their flippers- their 'armpits'! This is surrounded by a dark grey line which separates the grayish white sides of the body with the white belly, and runs along the top of the dark grey flippers. The large dorsal fin and small pointed flippers both curve backwards towards the tail of the animal.

These dolphins have between 54 to 66 teeth on both their upper and lower jaws.

Field ID:
Robust body, Smoothly sloping forehead, Very short beak, no teeth visible, Straight mouth line, Pointed flippers, Black or dark grey color, White stripe on each side, White underside, White "armpits", Highly acrobatic, Often bow-rides, often in mixed groups , Flippers, flukes and fin are dark, Backward-leaning, rounded fin

Length (metres):
At birth they are about 1 metre long. As adults, they reach between 2 and 2.2 metres long

Weight:
Around 115 kg as an adult

Diet:
Unknown, but teeth show it could be squid

Behaviour:
The Peale's dolphin will ride the bow of large and small ships ('bow ride'), usually traveling with long low leaps. On its own, it will sometimes swim slowly, whilst other times be very energetic, leaping high from the water, to splash back down again on its side. Some evidence points to animals keeping to a special range of waters which are their home. These dolphins usually swim in groups of 3 to 8 animals, and have been seen playing in the surf with Risso's dolphins.

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