Common Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
Phylum Chordata, Family Delphinidae
The Phylum Chordata consists of animals that possess a notochord, or a hollow dorsal nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail (for some part of their life).
This phylum includes the subphyla Vertebrate that contains fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
Oceanic Zone
Bottlenose Dolphins can be found in the epipelagic zone, with the deepest dive recorded at 492 m (1614 ft).
Diet and Predators
Dolphins eat small fish, crustaceans, and squid. They have sharp teeth used to grab their prey. They can behave aggressively and are prey to some large shark species like the tiger shark, the dusky start and the great white shark.
Adaptations
Bottlenose dolphins are social creatures and live in groups of 10-30 members called pods. They echolocate through their mellon to locate their food and have blubber that keeps them warm in cold waters. They can swim up to 29-35 km/h in short bursts to chase their prey.
Description
Bottlenose dolphins are grey, with countershading (they are lighter underneath and darker on the top). Adults range from 2-4 meters long and 150-650 kgs (330-1,430 lbs). Males are slightly longer and considerably heavier than females. They live for more than 40 years and can jump at the height of 6 meters in the air. They have slick, rubbery skin, an elongated rostrum, a dorsal fin, pectoral fins, and a powerful tail fin that aids in swimming.
Fun Facts
- Dolphins are very intelligent animals and their brains are larger than a human's brain.
- They can't fall asleep or else they would drown.
- Hey are found most often in tropical and temperate oceans and aren't in danger of extinction.
Girl Makes Dolphin Laugh (EXTENDED)