PHYLUM: Chordata
CLASS: Mammalia
ORDER: Cetacea
FAMILY: Phocenidae
GENUS: Phocoena
SPECIES: dioptrica
TOOTHED or TOOTHLESS (BALEEN): Toothed
FRESHWATER, SALTERWATER or BRACKISH: Saltwater
HABITAT: Coastal and offshore waters of the southern hemisphere. Cold temperate waters.
LENGTH (maximum): 6-8 Ft
WEIGHT (maximum): 187-250 lbs
RELATIVE SPECIES: Burmeister’s porpoise, Vaquita
NEIGHBORING SPECIES: Commersons dolphin, Chilean dolphin, Burmeister’s porpoise
PREDATORS: Humans
THREATS: trapped in gillnets and trawls. Rarely hunted for food. Not much is known about their conservation status.
DIET: Anchovies and small crustaceans
MANNER OF FEEDING: Unknown
BEHAVIOR: Travel in groups of 2 or 3. Not very gregarious.
REPRODUCTION: Unknown
LIFE SPAN: Unknown
COOL/GROSS/WEIRD:
- Very little is known about them. They have only been spotted a few times.
- Their name comes from black patches around their eyes that look like spectacles.
SOURCES:
- Knopf, Alfred A. Guide to Marine Mammals of the World.Random House. 2002
-TSF-
