Inia
Encyclopedia
Inia is a genus of river dolphin
containing one or possibly two species.
in 1834 when Delphinus geoffrensis, described by Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville
in 1817, was recognized to be a unique taxon. The most recent 1998 classification listed a single species, Inia geoffrensis, in the genus Inia, with three recognized subspecies. Most of the scientific community accepts this single species classification, as does the IUCN.
Alternate classification
River dolphin
River dolphins are the four living species of dolphin that reside in freshwater rivers and estuaries. River dolphins inhabit areas of Asia and South America. They are classed in the Platanistoidea superfamily of cetaceans. Three species live in fresh water rivers. The fourth species, the La Plata...
containing one or possibly two species.
Taxonomy
The genus was described by Alcide d'OrbignyAlcide d'Orbigny
Alcide Charles Victor Marie Dessalines d'Orbigny was a French naturalist who made major contributions in many areas, including zoology , palaeontology, geology, archaeology and anthropology....
in 1834 when Delphinus geoffrensis, described by Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville
Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville
Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville was a French zoologist and anatomist.Blainville was born at Arques, near Dieppe. In about 1796 he went to Paris to study painting, but he ultimately devoted himself to natural history, and attracted the attention of Georges Cuvier, for whom he occasionally...
in 1817, was recognized to be a unique taxon. The most recent 1998 classification listed a single species, Inia geoffrensis, in the genus Inia, with three recognized subspecies. Most of the scientific community accepts this single species classification, as does the IUCN.
- Genus Inia
- Species Inia geoffrensis Amazon river dolphin
- Subspecies I. g. geoffrensis
- Subspecies I. g. boliviensis
- Subspecies I. g. humboldtiana
- Species Inia geoffrensis Amazon river dolphin
Alternate classification
- Genus Inia
- Species Inia boliviensis Bolivian river dolphinBolivian River DolphinThe Bolivian river dolphin is a subspecies of the Amazon river dolphin. Although older publications as well as some recent publications consider the boliviensis population as distinct species from Inia geoffrensis, the great majority of the scientific community including the IUCN consider...
- Species Inia geoffrensis Amazon river dolphin
- Subspecies I. g. geoffrensis
- Subspecies I. g. humboldtiana
- Species Inia boliviensis Bolivian river dolphin