Oceanic Dolphins

There are many different kinds of oceanic dolphins.

They belong to the family Delphinidae, and as opposed to porpoises, they have a beak.

As opposed to river dolphins, they are marine animals mostly found in the open oceans rather than freshwater rivers. The largest animals in this group (in the end of this page) are commonly called whales, however taxonomically they are dolphins.

Tursiops

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Bottlenose Dolphins are some of the best known dolphins in the world. There are two species of them - Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and Indian Ocean Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops aduncus). Both have similar appearance, can weigh up to 600kg, and have similar distribution being found in all worlds oceans roughly between 0 and 40 degrees latitudes both in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere.

Stenella

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Other well known dolphins are Stenella species. They include Spinner Dolphin, Striped Dolphin, Clymene Dolphin, and Atlantic and Pantropical Spotted Dolphin. The commonest of the group is Striped Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba), which is found in most of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, with the exception of south-eastern Pacific and polar regions. The next commonest is Spinner Dolphin (Stenella longirostris), which is also found in all three oceans although in much lower latitudes (roughly between 0 and 30 degree latitudes in both hemispheres. Pantropical Spotted Dolphin (Stenella attenuata) has a similar distribution except it is absent from southern parts of Indian and Atlantic Ocean. Atlantic Spotted Dolphin (Stenella frontalis) is found in the Atlantic Ocean roughly between 0 and 30 degree latitudes in both hemispheres. Clymene Dolphin (Stenella clymene) is found in the Atlantic Ocean, between northern US and southern Brasil in the Americas, and between Senegal and Congo in Africa.

Lagenodelphis

Lagenodelphis is a genus that is represented by Fraser's Dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei). It is a medium-sized dolphin that can weigh about 200kg and it is found in all world's oceans roughly between 0 and 30 degrees latitudes.

Steno

Rough Toothed Dolphins Swim Toward Octopi

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The genus Steno is also represented by one species - Rough Toothed Dolphin (Steno bredanensis). It is quite a small dolphin that can weigh about 100kg, and it is found in tropical and subtropical waters roughly between 0 and 40 degrees latitudes in all world's oceans. It travels in groups, dives extensively, uses echolocation, and is one of the species that tends to get stranded.

Delphinus

Common Long-Beaked Dolphin, San Diego, USA

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The genus Delphinus contains Long Beaked Common Dolphin and Short Beaked Common Dolphin. Despite their names, they are not as common as many other species above. Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) is found along the eastern coast of North America, western coast of North and South America, along all European coasts except Scandinavia; and around Japan, New Zealand and Tasmania. Long-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus capensis) is found along most of the eastern coast of South America, parts of western coasts of North and South America, South Africa, Madagascar, the tip of Arabian Peninsula and western Africa; and Japan and Korea. Both species are classified conservation dependent.

Grampus

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Grampus is another genus that contains only one species. Rissos Dolphin (Grampus griseus) is a medium sized dolphin that can weigh up to 300kg. It is found in a wide variety of latitudes (about 0-60 degrees latitudes in both hemispheres), however it tends to be found relatively close to continents, and not in the open oceans. It is found along all the coasts in America except northern Canada and Alaska; and north-east South America (roughly the coast of Brazil). It is also found along most of the coasts in Europe except Scandinavia; Eastern Africa including Madagascar; all coasts in Asia except northern China, Korea and Russia's far east; and the eastern half of Australia and the whole New Zealand.

Lagenorhynchus Oceanic Dolphins

Pod of Pacific White-Sided Dolphins Frolicking in the Water

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Lagenorhynchus contains six species. Pacific White Sided Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) is found across northern Pacific ocean between Alaska and Mexican border is east, and Kamtchatka Peninsula and central China in west. Atlantic White Sided Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus) is found across northern Atlantic Ocean between the southern tip of Greenland and northern end of the US in west and between the coast of France and Barents sea in east. White Beaked Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) has a similar distribution although it is found further north towards polar regions, including eastern coast of Greenland. The other three species are found in southern waters. Dusky Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) is found along southern coasts of South America, southern tip of South Africa, and around all the coasts of New Zealand. Hourglass Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus cruciger) is found in Antarctic waters, and Peale's Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis) around the southern coasts of South America.

Sotalia Oceanic Dolphins

Sotalia consists of one species - Tucuxi (Sotalia fluviatilis). It is a small dolphin, weighing only about 40kg, and it is found along northern and eastern coasts of South America between Panama in north and Rio de Janeiro in south. And - it is also found far inland in the Amazon River basin.

Sousa Oceanic Dolphins

Sousa contains three species of humpback dolphins. The Atlantic Humpback Dolphin (Sousa teuszi) is found along the western coast of Africa, between Mauritania in north and Cameroon in south. Indian Humpback Dolphin (Sousa plumbea) is found along the whole south Asian coast east of India; all the coasts of Arab Peninsula, and all the eastern coast of Africa including Madagascar. Pacific Humpback Dolphin (Sousa chinensis) is found along all the coasts in south eastern Asia such as all the Indochinan countries, Indonesia, New Guinea, and northern Australia.

Orcaella Oceanic Dolphins

Irrawaddy Dolphins, Jaya Anca Aquarium, Indonesia

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Orcacella consists of two species: Irrawaddy Dolphin and Australian Snubfin Dolphin. Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) is found along the coasts of eastern India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, southern coasts of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, many coasts of Indonesia, south-western coast of New Guinea, and northern coast of Australia. Australian Snubfin Dolphin (Orcaella heinsohni) is found along northern coasts of Australia between about Port Headland in west and Bundaberg in east.

Cephalorhyncus Oceanic Dolphins

Commersons Dolphin, Porpoising, Argentina

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Cephalorhyncus consists of four species. Hectors Dolphin (Cephalorhyncus hectori) is found along most of the coasts of New Zealand. Heavisides Dolphin (Cephalorhyncus heavisidii) is found along the coasts of Namibia and South Africa. Chilean Dolphin (Cephalorhyncus eutropia) is found along the southern coast of Chile and Commersons Dolphin (Cephalorhyncus commersonii) is found around the southern tip of South America.

Lissodelphis Oceanic Dolphins

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The genus Lissodelphis conclude two species of right whale dolphin. The Northern Right Whale Dolphin (Lissodelphis borealis) is found across the northern Pacific Ocean along and around 40 degrees latitudes. The Southern Right Whale Dolphin (Lissodelphis peronii) is found in the southern waters all the way around the globe (including southern Atlantic). It can be seen off the coasts of South America, southern Africa, south-eastern Australia and all the way around New Zealand.

Globicephala Oceanic Dolphins

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Globicephala consists of two species of pilot whale. They are called whales (as are all the species below), however taxonomically they belong to the group of oceanic dolphins. The Short Finned Pilot Whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) is the more common of the two, and is found in all the world's oceans roughly between 0 and 40 degree latitudes in both hemispheres. The Long Finned Plot Whale (Globicephala melas), is found in two distinct areas: northern Atlantic ocean, and all the southern waters south of Australia, Africa and South America but also across the oceans like southern Indian Ocean, southern Atlantic and southern Pacific Ocean (roughly between 40 and 60 degrees latitudes).

Peponocephala Oceanic Dolphins

Melon-Headed Whale, Marquises Archipelago, Polynesia

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Peponochepala consists of one species - the Melon Headed Whale (Peponochepala electra). It is a small to medium size dolphin which can weigh more than 200kg. It is found across all world's oceans roughly between 0 and 35 degrees latitudes.

Orcinus

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Genus Orchinus contains only one species - the famous Orca Killer Whale (Orchinus Orca). Their distribution is very patchy. They are found in the Atlantic Ocean except the coast between Liberia and Namibia in east and roughly the coast of Brazil in west. They are not found across the Pacific Ocean but they are found along most of Pacific coasts. They are found in southern and eastern parts of Indian Ocean, but not off the coast of north-eastern Africa. They are found in most places in Indonesia but not around the Malayan Peninsula. They are found around New Guinea, New Zealand and all the coasts of Australia except the southern coast, however they are found in Antarctic waters.

Pseudorca Oceanic Dolphins

Pseudorca also contains one species - the False Killer Whale (Pseudorca crassidens). It has got a similar distribution to Risso's Dolphin - large variations in latitudes but relatively close to the continents (Not exactly on the beaches but not in the middle of large oceans either).

Feresa Oceanic Dolphins

Pygmy Killer Whale Head (Feresa Attenuata), Hawaii, USA

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Feresa is another genus containing only one species - the Pygmy Killer Whale (Feresa attenuata) - a relatively small type of killer whale which doesn't get heavier than 350kg. It is found across all the world's oceans, roughly between 0 and 35 degrees latitudes in both hemispheres.