Spinner dolphin (species: Stenella longirostris) in Lizard Island area: all known taxa (Lizard Island Field Guide)
Lizard Island area: all known taxa > Animalia > Chordata > Vertebrata > Mammalia > Cetacea > Odontoceti > Delphinidae > Stenella > Stenella longirostris (gallery)
Stenella longirostris
Spinner dolphin


©Lyle Vail: Spinner dolphins near Lizard Island

©Lyle Vail: Spinner dolphins near Lizard Island

©Richard Fiddis: Spinner dolphin off Lizard Island.

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Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Cetacea
Family Delphinidae
Genus Stenella
Species Stenella longirostris
Status insufficient data to assess

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Lizard Island Field Guide
Lizard Island area: all known taxa

Colours

         

Distinguishing features

Up to 2 metres long with a long, slender beak. Body dark grey above, paler on the sides, and paler still below. Beak has a dark tip and dark stripe along the upper surface.

Size

  • Size data has not been obtained.

Depth range

  • Depth range data is not yet available.

Synonyms

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Local abundance

  • Lizard Island: This is the dolphin seen most frequently around Lizard Island in small pods of tens of individuals, mostly in summer. Occasionally larger pods (100+) are seen.

Behaviour

These dolphins often spin on the longitudinal axis when jumping.

Web resources

References

  • Baker, A.N. (1983). Whales and Dolphins of New Zealand and Australia: An identification guide Victoria University Press, Wellington, NZ.