Facultatea de Litere Oradea

Filip Alexandra
Lect. dr. Andrada Marinau
Anul I E-G Grupa 7
 Dolphin (aquatic mammal), fast-swimming mammal belonging
to the order Cetacea, which also includes whales.

Characteristic features of most

dolphins are long snouts with
rows of sharp teeth, and
rounded foreheads with a nostril
on top, known as the blowhole.

There are at least 40 species of

dolphins. Dolphins resemble fish
in many ways, but they exhibit a
number of true mammalian
characteristics: They are warm-
blooded, breathe air, and nurse
their young on milk.
Physical description
 Dolphins range in size from the
small tucuxi dolphin, which grows
to about 1.2 m (4 ft) in length and
weighs about 50 kg (110 lb), to the
killer whale, which can grow to 9.8
m (32 ft) in length and weigh over
5,500 kg (12,100 lb). In most
dolphins males grow slightly larger
than females.

The flippers contain bones that are

similar in arrangement to the
bones in the human hand.
Horizontal tail flukes, composed of
tough connective tissue, move up
and down to propel the animal
through the water.
The eyes of a dolphin contain Dolphins often use echolocation
elastic lenses that expand and (use of reflected sound to
contract, enabling the animal perceive surroundings) to
to focus its vision both above navigate and forage for food.
and below water. Clicks made by the dolphin
project from the melon as a
Dolphins breathe through a sonar beam. The beam bounces
blowhole located on top of the off nearby objects, and the
head. A muscular plug closes dolphin analyzes the reflected
the blowhole to keep water out sound waves to locate prey and
of the animal’s lungs during a avoid obstacles.
 Behaviour
Swimming and diving
Dolphins are among the fastest animals in the
sea. Several species of trained dolphins have
been recorded swimming up to 40 km/h (25
mph), and killer whales in the wild can reach
swimming speeds of up to 50 km/h (30 mph).
Some dolphins can dive to depths of 60 m
(200 ft) or more.
Socialization
Dolphins are social animals
that travel in schools
varying in size from small
herds of 2 to 5 members to
immense schools of 1,000
or more.

Scientists have observed dolphins displaying three types of

caregiving behaviors:

1) Standing by - dolphins remain in the vicinity of an injured or ill

companion without offering aid.
2)Excitement - dolphins swim swiftly in circles around an injured
dolphin, responding aggressively toward threats to the
injured animal.
3)Supporting - one or more dolphins will help a sick or injured
dolphin by supporting it at the surface to prevent the
Communication
Dolphins communicate with one another using a complex
set of whistles, screeches, and clicks.
In many dolphin species each individual produces a
unique signature whistle.
Some studies of dolphins in captivity suggest that
dolphins can understand some elements of human
language.

Hunting
Dolphins are predatory animals, feeding
largely on fish, squid, and in the case of killer
whales, other marine mammals, sea turtles,
and birds.
Dolphins often work together to hunt
prey.
Reproduction and life
span

Male and female adult

dolphins partake in extensive
courting, which includes
behaviors ranging from tender
caressing to playful
roughhousing. After a gestation
period of 12 to 16 months,
depending on the species, a
single calf is born. The mother
nurses her newborn
underwater for about 6 months
to 2 years.
Types of dolphins
I)Ocean dolphins

1) Bottlenose Dolphins - frequently ride

the waves made by the bows of moving ships.
They are often seen along beaches and in
shallow bays and estuaries in the warmer
coastal waters of all continents.

2) Stenellid Dolphins

Spinner dolphins are named for their habit of

leaping out of the water and spinning as their
body stays vertical. Spinners commonly swim
with schools of yellowfin tuna, and fishing
fleets often use spinner dolphins to lead them
to schools of tuna.
3)Common
Dolphins
a) Short-beaked common dolphins - are
found in temperate and tropical waters around
the world.

b) Long-beaked common dolphins -

inhabit temperate and tropical waters of the
Atlantic Ocean

c) The Arabian common dolphin -

is found in the Arabian Sea
 4) Irrawaddy River Dolphin
Growing up to 2.5 m (8 ft) in length, the Irrawaddy
river dolphin has a light gray coloration and a
rounded head that lacks a beak, making the dolphin
resemble a small beluga whale.
Living in coastal marine waters and in freshwater
rivers places the Irrawaddy river dolphin in regular
contact with humans.

II) River Dolphins

1) Amazon River Dolphin live in the

Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America.
The Amazon river dolphin is classified in the family
Iniidae.
Amazon river dolphins reach a length of 2.5 m (8
ft).
 2) Indian River Dolphin
These animals are nearly blind—they lack
eye lenses and their eye openings are no
bigger than a pinhole. As a result, they rely
almost entirely on echolocation to forage for
food and navigate in the murky river waters.

3) Chinese River Dolphin

The Chinese river dolphin reaches 2.5

m (8 ft) in length. It has a plump,
mostly gray body and a long, narrow
snout that turns upward at the end.
4) Franciscana Dolphin
The Franciscana is unique among river
dolphins in that it lives in the freshwater Río
de la Plata in South America but also finds its
way into the marine coastal waters from
northern Argentina to southern Brazil.

Dolphins throughout the world are threatened

by habitat destruction and pollution. Many
cultures have hunted dolphins for food and for
the oil found in small quantities in the animal’s
head.
Although the hunting of dolphins greatly
declined in the 20th century, many dolphins are
still killed inadvertently when they become
entrapped in huge nets used to catch tuna.