Pantropical Spotted Dolphin [Stenella attenuata]
Description
The Pantropical Spotted Dolphin is a species of dolphin found in warm and tropical seas all around the world. They are medium-sized dolphins, with adults ranging from 1.9 to 2.5 meters in length, and weighing between 100 to 140 kilograms. The body coloration varies with age, with young dolphins primarily gray with little to no spotting, and older dolphins having a distinctive two-tone color pattern with dark gray back and a lighter gray belly, accompanied with spots. They are known for their acrobatic behavior and often associate with other dolphin species and large tuna. They have a varied diet that includes small fish and squids.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Chordates
Chordata
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Mammals
Mammalia
|
| Order |
Cetaceans
Cetacea
|
| Family |
Oceanic dolphins
Delphinidae
|
| Genus |
Pantropical Spotted Dolphin
Stenella attenuata
|