Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin (Sousa chinensis)

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cetacea
Family: Delphinidae
Genus: Sousa
Species: chinensis

TOOTHED or TOOTHLESS (BALEEN): Toothed

FRESHWATER, SALTERWATER or BRACKISH: Saltwater

HABITAT: Coastal along the rim of the Indian Ocean. Atlantic species is found along the coast of Africa.

ESA Candidate Species – Taiwanese Humpback Dolphin
MMPA – all marine mammals are protected under the MMPA
CITES Appendix I – throughout its range

LENGTH (maximum): 8-9 Ft

WEIGHT (maximum): 370-570 lbs

RELATIVE SPECIES: Bottlenose, Irrawaddy

OTHER NAMES: Atlantic Humpback, Indo-Pacific Humpback

NEIGHBORING SPECIES: Bottlenose dolphins, pantropical dolphins

PREDATORS: Humans

THREATS: Taken for food in Africa. Are killed by pollution, habitat degradation and collisions from vessels.

DIET: Small fish, squid and octopus.

MANNER OF FEEDING: Preys on species that live on the ocean bottom. Likes to follow trawlers and feed on injured or dsicarded fish and squid.

BEHAVIOR: Groups of 3-8. Likes to breach and slap the surface with their flippers. Shy of boats and does not bow ride, but regularly follows trawlers.

REPRODUCTION: Gestation is 10-12 months. Calving occurs every 3 years. Calves are weaned at about 2 years.

LIFE SPAN: 40 years

COOL/GROSS/WEIRD:

• Adults can be entirely pink.
• There are at least 2 subspecies, but others think that a third should be classified.

SOURCES:

• Knopf, Alfred A. Guide to Marine Mammals of the World.Random House. 2002

 

From NOAA

-TSF-