Spinner Dolphin (Stenella longirostris)

Spinner Dolphin , West Oahu, Hawaii
Photograph by Ken Conley. Some rights reserved. (view image details)

Spinner Dolphin | Stenella longirostris photo

Spinner Dolphin , West Oahu, Hawaii
Photograph by Ken Conley. Some rights reserved. (view image details)

SPINNER DOLPHIN FACTS

Description
The Spinner Dolphin gets its name from its habit of leaping out of the water, twirling and landing with noisy splash. The back is dark grey and belly is white. On each side there is a paler gray side panel.

Other Names
Spinner Porpoise, Long-snouted Spinner Dolphin

Size
Length 1.3m - 2.4m, with average length of about 2m. Weight 55kg - 75kg

Environment
deep ocean water and shallower coastal waters. Swims in schools

Food
fish, squid and shrimp

Breeding
A single calf is born after gestation period of 10.6 months. Females give birth to one calf every 2 or 3 years. The calf is weaned after 6-7 months.

Range
tropical and subtropical waters in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans

Conservation Status
LR|cd

Classification

Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Cetacea
Family:	Delphinidae
Genus:	Stenella
Species:	longirostris
Common Name:	Spinner Dolphin

Relatives in same Genus
  Pantropical Spotted Dolphin (S. attenuata)
  Clymene Dolphin (S. clymene)
  Striped Dolphin (S. coeruleoalba)
  Atlantic Spotted Dolphin (S. frontalis)

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