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Bottlenose dolphins summary
Bottlenose dolphins summary
The anatomy of a common bottlenose dolphin
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General classifications: Bottlenose dolphins are the most common and well known members of the dolphin family. They are mammals and their scientific name is Tursiops Truncatus. They can be found in pods (which means a group of dolphins) and extremely few are found alone. These dolphins are also part of the Delphinidae family which means dolphins in Greek. Appearance: Bottlenose dolphins are known to be two to four meters long and their average weight is between 150 to 200kg. The dolphin’s snout is short and rounded at the top which gives it its name- as it is like a bottle. The dolphins have many shades of grey skin but white on their underside. Bottlenose dolphins use their two side flippers to steer through strong currents and to make tight turns. Their tail is called a fluke and is used to push the dolphins through the water and gives it its speed. The top fin is called a dorsal fin and is used to help the dolphin balance and in fact it is not needed - so dolphins could survive without a dorsal fin. A dolphin can have between 18 to 26 teeth which are used for grasping their food. A dolphin has its snout at the middle of the head, one eye on each side of their head and a blowhole at the top, which is how they breathe. Dolphins do not have gills. …show more content…
Bottlenose dolphins find their food in a pod in a way that is very smart for an animal. In their pod they round a school of fish by circling around them and one by on going into the fish grabbing one and they continue this. If they continue this they will all get a good amount of food for them to eat. As well as these foods sometimes bottlenoses eat crabs and other small
Unlike most other whales, Narwhals have no dorsal fin, instead they have a low bumpy ridge that begins at about the midpoint of the back and continues to the fluke#. Tusks The tusks, giving Narwhals the name, “Sea Unicorn”, is actually a tooth that can reach up to nine feet long and can weigh up to 20 pounds. Males and females are born with two teeth pointing forward in the upper jaw. The left tooth of the male grows long and spirals counter clockwise toward the tip.
One of the most common dolphins that are found in southern California is the bottlenose dolphin (Kelly). The bottlenose dolphin is mainly found in coastal waters between 45 degrees north and 45 degrees south, also in Northern Europe waters. It is believed that there are two types of bottlenose dolphin regional wise: oceanic form and coastal form. This species is studied the most by biologists (Jefferson). The coastal population lives in fairly open groups with twenty or less in a pod, some groups are found to contain more in open ocean. It is not uncommon for these species to interact and breed with other species, as would a human interact with other diverse humans. The dolphins feeding behavior is adapted to the availability of resources. They sometimes are known to work together to catch fish from large schools, they also trail behind large fishing boats to catch what falls behind (Leatherwood).
Orcinus orca is the scientific name for the massive marine mammal. Orcas are not rare, but have declining numbers in some areas (Martin.) Orcas are found from the Artic Ocean to the Antartic Ocean. (Britannica) They belong to the Delphinidae, or dolphin family, which is the largest of their species. Female orcas grow to be at the most 15 feet, and weigh up to 4 tons, but the males can grow as large as 20-30 feet, and weight up to 8 tons. (Martin) The color of the orca is white in some spots, black on the majority of the body, and gray just behind the dorsal fin. It is white on the chin, belly and the eye. The white patch above the eye is usually mistaken for the eye, and may confuse their prey, but acts as a camouflage for the eye. The name “killer whale” makes people tend to believe that this is a viscious man-eating mammal, yet it is one of the most shrewd, docile and playful species of the marine mammals. The orca is sexually mature at 10-15 years of age, much like humans, which is 12-13 years of age. They tend to mate year round, and is able to have a calf every two years. It is interesting to know that lactation of the mother lasts 12 or more months (Wynne.) The life expectancy of orcas is 45-50 years of age.
Striped dolphins, Stenella coeruleoalba, are some of the most abundant and well-known dolphins in the world. These dolphins can reach the length of about 9 ft (2.7 m). The males weigh up to 350 lbs (160 kg). The females weigh 330 lbs (150 kg). Striped dolphins have a slender body shape combined with a long beak, which is separated from their forehead, and they also have a curved dorsal fin. The beak, tapered flipper, tail, and back, or cape, are dark blue/gray. The name “Stenella coeruleoalba” refers to the pattern of blue and white stripes along the lateral and dorsal fins of their body. Their underbelly (ventral) is usually white. Their primary feature is a black stripe that runs along their full length and to their flippers. There is also a dark blue patch around the eyes. Calves and juveniles may have more muted colorations and patterns.
Bottlenose dolphins became part of a United States Navy program in 1959 for the purpose of conducting scientific research into their sonar and hydrodynamics in hopes of getting design ideas for submarines, ship hulls and weapons. It was discovered dolphins hear and navigate in the water by using their natural sonar, which happened to be more precise than most fabricated sonar systems. In the mid-sixties, Navy dolphins were used as mail carriers to underwater laboratories in their home of San Diego, California.
A unique feature the Humpback whale has is its very big flipper or fin. It has one of the biggest whale flippers, which can be found on planet earth. The flipper is used to change
A Bottle-nosed dolphin skeletal system is believed to be originated from the basic mammalian skeleton, but has gone through a number of changes. Firstly the forelimbs have been modified into flippers and the bones of the hind limbs have disappeared altogether. Such bones as the rib cage and the spin have also undergone transformation in the fact that they have cured and caved-in due to water pressure. These creatures hold their breath for about 15 minutes before having to submerge for air. The Bottle-nosed dolphin is an amazingly strong creature. Because it never stops swimming, the Bottle-nosed dolphin has a very powerful tail, which is capable of supporting its weight of about 400 kg.
Dolphins and porpoises are known as mammals with each possessing their own unique qualities and differences. Dolphins are known for their unique abilities in communicating, entertaining and fascinating humans. These abilities posses by dolphins pale in comparison when considering the important features of dolphins, all of which allows this mammal to survive in oceanic waters and perform entertaining leaps. Based on the article's information and facts about Dolphins, dolphins is the only mammal that gives birth with the tail first instead of the head and young dolphins remain with their mother for a period of two or three years.
Many people can feel connected to the earth and their surroundings by observing and learning the way of the animals, including the whales. The Bowhead whale has been an important part in the Inuit-Inupiaq people of northern Alaska’s way of living. Native Americans have used animals like the whale in their stories to explain life and moral values. An American Indian author, Vine Deloria Jr., stated that, “Native Americans saw themselves as being related in some fundamental manner to every other living species. They believed each species had a particular knowledge of the universe and specific skills for living in it.” (Caduto and Bruchax, XI) Vine Deloria along with many other Native American authors has taught us through their words the roles that animals play in the Native American culture. The animals in these stories teach us some of the same values that are displayed in traditional literature, including fairy tales, nursery rhymes and The Bible. We can see how Bowhead whales’ physical traits and connection to the earth are linked to Native American culture by examining scientific information and Native American literature.
One hundred percent of male orcas, and even a few females, in captivity posses a collapsed dorsal (top) fin; they are not born like this. Over time, this collagen appendage may flop over or collapse from lack of use (Cowperthwaite). Whales in captivity often swim in the same direction for long periods of time, limiting the necessity for a strong dorsal fin. Though the majority of whales in their care suffer from this problem, SeaWorld claims that this occurs naturally in 1 in 4 of all orcas (Killer Whale Care). Dorsal collapse has not been reported in wild orca populations (Cowperthwaite).
they look at the dorsal fin. Each pod of whales has its own individual type of dorsal fin. In some
Humpback whales breath voluntarily, unlike humans. Since they have to remember to breath, researchers believe humpbacks sleep by shutting off half of their brain at a time. Like orcas and dolphins, humpback whales have noses at the top of their head called blowholes (Animal Planet). Humpback whale calves do not stop growing until they are ten years old (National Geographic). They breed, give birth and care for their newborn calves in the warm waters of Tonga. Instead of teeth, humpbacks have baleen plates, they are brush-like strands of bristle that trap there food until it is swallowed. They have very odd mouths that curve downwards, like an eternal frown. Humpback whales are amazing marine mammals (Big Animal Expeditions)
The morphology of whale sharks is mostly similar to aquatic fish species, but many specific traits help differentiate them from the rest. Whale sharks are the largest fish in the world and can reach a size of around 20 meters (Martins, C., and C. Knickle). This is often compared to the size of a school bus. The shark has a very large transverse mouth. They have 5 very large gill slits and have a larger first dorsal fin compared to the second one (Whale Shark). They have a distinctive spotted “checkerboard” pattern with stripes (Martins, C., and C. Knickle). It is not exactly known why they have this specific body marking. It is believed that the body markings act as a camouflage. The strange thing about whale sharks is that they have 300 rows of teeth that play no role in feeding (Martins, C., and C. Knickle).
Dolphins are well known for their agility and playful behavior in the wildlife of all the oceans in the world. They have many characteristics, and also there are a variety of different types and kinds of dolphins, which make them very intelligent creatures. Dolphins are smart marine mammals and great swimmers. They are known to be very friendly to humans and other wildlife creatures, dolphins often display a playful attitude which makes them popular to human nature and the culture. They can be seen jumping out of the water,riding waves, play fighting and occasionally interacting with people swimming in the water. Dolphins love hanging along the sea shores of all beaches around the coast, where it is warm and tropical(Fun dolphin facts).Dolphins are believed to be the most intelligent animals on earth
Did you know in the world there are more than 90 species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises? (WDC) The dolphin is a very important animal to the ocean and there are many different types to discover. In order to learn about dolphins, it is important to discuss where they live, their appearance, and what they eat. Some helpful words to understand are “dorsal fin”, a dorsal fin is the top pointed fin on the dolphins back, “flippers”, a flipper is a flat fin that dolphins use to swim, and “echolocation” is a tool dolphins use to find food by sounds bouncing off of objects (dictionary.com).