Spinner Dolphin
ExploreMammals
Spinner Dolphin
Stenella longirostris
Spinner dolphins are playful and love to jump out of the water! They are friendly creatures that often swim in groups called pods.
Appearance
The Spinner Dolphin has a sleek, torpedo-shaped body with a dark grey back, light grey sides, and a white belly. It often features a dark stripe from its eye to its flipper. Its long, slender snout and dark eye patch distinguish it from other dolphins.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassMammaliaOrderCetaceaFamilyDelphinidaeGenusStenella
Category
MammalsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Spinner dolphins can gather in 'super-pods' of thousands of individuals!
Their amazing spins are thought to communicate, clean, or even play!
They are named for their incredible acrobatic aerial spins!
They nap by resting near the surface, with half their brain asleep at a time!
Special abilities
Ability
Acrobatic Spinner
Spinner Dolphins can leap and spin mid-air because of their powerful tails, stunning prey and signaling to others.
Ability
Sonar Sense
Spinner Dolphins use echolocation to navigate and find food in the dark ocean depths, sending out clicks and listening for echoes.
Ability
Team Hunter
Spinner Dolphins hunt cooperatively, herding schools of fish into tight balls that helps them catch more food efficiently.
Measurements & details
- Length
- 170-240 cm
- Weight
- 60-90 kg
- Lifespan
- 20-25 years
- Top Speed
- 40 km/h
- Litter Size
- 1
- Gestation
- 310-330 days
Diet & Feeding
These speedy dolphins eat small fish, squid, and shrimp that they hunt in deep ocean waters.
Primary Foods
- lanternfish
- flying squid
- shrimp
- hatchetfish
Foraging Method
- Pursuit
Ecological connections
eaten by
Orca
Orcinus orca
Orcas are apex predators and will occasionally prey on dolphins.
eaten by
Great White Shark
Carcharodon carcharias
Large sharks sometimes prey on young or vulnerable dolphins.
hunts
Lanternfish
Myctophum affine
Spinner dolphins primarily hunt these small, schooling fish at night.
hunts
Purpleback Flying Squid
Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis
Squid are a significant part of their diet, especially during deep-water hunts.
Traits
Wildlife
Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
Furry
Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.
Social
Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
Piscivorous
Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish.
Echolocation
Echolocation is a biological sonar used by animals to navigate, hunt, and communicate by emitting sound waves and interpreting the echoes.
Speedster
This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel.
Aquatic
Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
Marine
Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life.
Also known as
Long-snouted DolphinStenella longirostris
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Always watch dolphins from a distance and never try to touch them in the wild.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Spinner Dolphin?
170-240 cm
How much does Spinner Dolphin weigh?
60-90 kg
How long does Spinner Dolphin live?
20-25 years
How fast can Spinner Dolphin move?
40 km/h
What does Spinner Dolphin eat?
These speedy dolphins eat small fish, squid, and shrimp that they hunt in deep ocean waters.
How does Spinner Dolphin hunt?
Pursuit
How many babies does Spinner Dolphin usually have?
1
How long is Spinner Dolphin's gestation?
310-330 days
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