White Beaked Dolphin

Lagenorhynchus albirostris


FIELD MARKS:
dolphinlike
--------
to 10 feet
--------
dark, falcate, dorsal fin
--------
white beak usually
--------
light areas on sides
--------
gregarious
--------
compare with White Sided Dolphin

Note

Occasionally seen in large herds (to 1000 animals), but along the Norht American coast small pods of 25 or less are more common. Can be acrobatic. Seldom seen around ships.

Beaks of Western North Atlantic dolphins less frequesntly white than Eastern Atlantic relatives.

Description

Maximum length 3m (10 feet). Robust body, tail gently tapering, moderately compressed. Short, thick beak that is colored white or light grey. Dark gray to black body above with white or light gray belly. Two light pale areas on sides - one in front of and below the dorsal fin, the other behind it. Dorsal fin moderately falcate and always dark.

Habitat

Offshore waters.

Range

Western North Atlantic. From Cape Cod north of Greenland, Newfoundland, Labrador, and Davis Strait. Common off Newfoundland and Labrador in summer and autumn. Migrates southward to Cape Cod in winter and is common thereabouts from April to June.

Similar Species

Can be confused with the Atlantic White-sided Dolphin but its dorsal fin is more prominant, and it has pale sides and often a white beak.

Comments

The White-beaked Dolphin is not at all easy to distinguish from the White-sided Dolphin in the water except if it has a white beak. A close look at a specimen will show the lack of the prpmoinant, elongated white patch seen in the White-sided Dolphin.

The White-beaked Dolphin is also known as the White-beaked Porpoise and Squidhound. Like all Odontocetes, it has a gestation period of about 1 year; it may give birth to 2 or more calves, but only 1 usually survives.



Copyright 1999-2003 - All Rights Reserved, By Norma Ranieri (EMail:Dolphintailz@oocities.com)



Credits

Much of the information found here has been adapted from the following sources:

"The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Fishes, Whales & Dolphins", Copyright Chanticleer Press, Inc. 1983. All rights reserved.

"The Whale-Watchers Handbook: A Field Guide to the Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of North America", by David K. Bulloch, Copyright 1993, All rights reserved.

[Dolphin Tales] [Stories] [Questions] [Dolphin Info] [Dolphin FAQ] [Dolphin Species] [Cetacean Glossary] [WebRings] [Graphics] [Send/Receive Postcards] [JOIN Our Webring] [Links] [Quotes] [Bookstore] [Awards and Memberships] [What's New?] [Associates] [Suggestion Box] [Sign My Guestbook] [View My Guestbook]

The maintainer of these pages is not responsible for the content of the banner above.

This page hosted by GeoCitiesGet your own Free Home Page