Fast Facts: Spinner Dolphin

-

Also known as my latest acquisition in Abyssrium (which is better than any meditation app I've used), the Spinner Dolphin is one of the few creatures that shoots through sea foam and surf to grace us with its presence...and what a presence it is.

The Spinner Dolphin : Stenella longirostris

Description: These dolphins are a smaller species of dolphin, although males are usually larger than females. Sizes in general range from 4.5 - 7 feet in length and 100 - 180 pounds in weight. Different subspecies have different colorations, but most have a grey gradation of dark grey backs, lighter grey sides, and white undersides. All Spinner Dolphins have a gray band that runs from eye to flipper, and all possess the same slender, streamlined body shape which flows into a long beak and dorsal fin. 

Habitat: Spinner Dolphins are distributed around the world in tropical and temperate waters. Based on the main regions they're found in, Spinner Dolphins have been categorized into four subspecies: the Gray's Spinner Dolphin, which includes the Hawaiian Spinner Dolphin and is found around the Central Pacific area, the Eastern Spinner Dolphin, which is found in the Eastern Pacific area, the Central American Spinner Dolphin, which is found around Central America, and the Dwarf Spinner Dolphin, which is found around Asia and Australia. Almost all types of the Spinner Dolphin, with perhaps the exception of the Dwarf Spinner Dolphin, typically thrive near offshore waters near the coast where the ocean is shallower. 

Diet: Most of the Spinner Dolphin's prey are found at depths around 650-1000 feet. These preys include small fish, shrimp, squid, and jellyfish and are identified through the Spinner Dolphin's echolocation and clear vision. 

Behavior: Spinner Dolphins are considered to be nocturnal, spending most of the night in deeper waters to hunt for prey. As day breaks, these dolphins will typically move toward surface waters closer to the shore; this is sometimes known as vertical and horizontal migration. Considered as very social creatures, Spinner Dolphins travel and live in pods ranging anywhere from a dozen to thousands of members. They use a variety of clicks, whistles, echolocation, and other communication modes to signal different emotions and messages. 

Conservation Status: The exact number of Spinner Dolphins living in the wild is unknown. However, like other marine species, this dolphin is protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Human impact is the greatest threat to these dolphins due to issues with commercial fishing and simply human interactions from beaches. Both of these actions contribute to marine debris and sound pollution. 

Unique Traits: As it name suggests, the Spinner Dolphin is best known for its intricate aerial displays when it jumps out of the water. These impressive displays can reach up to 10 feet in height and often involve multiple twists and turns; one sighting records seven turns! The purpose of these leaps isn't clear; there are multiple reasons that researchers have found to be possible. Such reasons include removing fish that latch onto the Dolphin's skin to eat parasites and communication. The jump itself could indicate a specific message or some researchers have suggested that the slap of the water caused when a dolphin lands back into the water is the true mode of communication. 



https://fineartamerica.com/featured/wild-spinner-dolphin-james-rd-scott.html

https://blog.padi.com/spinner-dolphins-fun-facts-about-this-oceanic-acrobat/

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/spinner-dolphin

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/spinner-dolphin

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Acadia National Park - Info & Imagery

-
Image
  New England feels...this is what the great 17th & 18th century poets and writers engraved in stone and ink saw in their worlds Acadia National Park. Nestled in the crook of Acadia, Maine, established in 1917, and known for its sweater vibes and autumnal beauty seemingly year round, this national park is known for its stunning scenery above all else. Wintery mountains, teeming forests, and pink granite shorelines are sights to behold on their own. But as the eastern-most National Park in the US, Acadia is also the first National Park to greet dawn every day. Imagine...the light spilling up over ocean salt breeze, pouring over the trees and rocks and sea. A striking world illuminated from the inside out.  Some of these places just don't seem real sometimes. But they are, and besides having great lighting for a Instagram photo shoot, the National Parks' beauty and meaning and history means something to us. These parks, surreal little worlds that offer more than escape,...
Read more

The National Parks!

-
Image
  New Year, new explorations. I have to be honest; I haven't visited one of our 63 National Parks yet. Bing has this great catalogue of the National Parks and hotel/flight prices for each. Don't get too distracted by the beautiful photos of each park. It's too damn expensive for a college student to visit, well anywhere, right now.  So instead, I'm writing about the parks from my cozy-already-expensive enough dorm. The previous series on this blog have covered rainforests, oceans, and the ecosystems in between. Here, the National Parks are their own unique ecosystems, far more complex than being simply described as just a grassland or just  a desert. There's a reason why each park was designated as a government protected piece of land. Every park has history, distinct flora and fauna, and some beautiful crazy fun fact-esque aspect that makes these parks feel like other worlds.   Before we dive into some of the spotlights on the National Parks, I want t...
Read more

Fast Facts: Maori Wrasse

-
Image
Known by many names, including the Humphead Wrasse and Napolean Wrasse, this fish is known as a king of the coral reefs.    The Maori Wrasse :   Cheilinus undulatus Description : Reaching up to 2 meters in length and 180 kg in weight, t he Maori Wrasse is the largest species in the Wrasse family. They are easily distinguishable by the hump on their foreheads, which become more prominent with age, as well as their puffy lips. Based on the age and gender of a Maori Wrasse, its color patterns vary from red and orange to yellow and green and blues.  Habitat :  Found in the Indo-Pacific's tropical waters, the Maori Wrasse tends to cling to the temperate-coastal habitats of Australia. Maori Wrasse can inhabit all types of reefs, from rocky reefs by the shore to off-shore reefs reaching depths of 60 meters.  Diet : Maori Wrasse are carnivorous creatures that feed primarily on crustaceans, mollusks, and other benthic creatures. They may even eat smaller fish! Maori...
Read more