White-beaked Dolphin
Encyclopedia
The White-beaked dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) is a marine mammal
belonging to the family Delphinidae (dolphins) in the suborder Odontoceti (toothed whales).
taxonomist John Edward Gray
in 1846. Due to its relative abundance in Europe
an waters it was among the first of the genus Lagenorhynchus (lagenos, Latin
for "bottle" or "flask"; rhynchos, "beak" or "snout") to be known to science. Its specific name, albirostris, translates to "white beak", a reference to the color of the species' beak, a diagnostic (albeit variable) trait useful in identification.
and is found in a band stretching across the ocean from Cape Cod
, the mouth of the St. Lawrence River and southern Greenland
in the west, around Iceland
in the centre and across in the west from northern France
to Svalbard
; however, it is not as well adapted to Arctic conditions as the beluga or narwhal
. The dolphin may easily be misidentified as the Atlantic white-sided dolphin
, although the White-beaked is commonly found further north. The White-beaked dolphin is also typically larger, and does not have yellow streaks on its side.
White-beaked dolphins are acrobatic and social animals
. They will frequently ride on the bow wave
of high-speed boats and jump clear of the sea's surface. The White-beaked dolphin is a social feeder and has frequently been observed feeding with Orca
, Fin
, and Humpback whale
s, as well as other dolphin species.
), since they have an unfavourable conservation status or would benefit significantly from international co-operation organised by tailored agreements.
In addition, the White-beaked dolphin is covered by the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas (ASCOBANS
).
Marine mammal
Marine mammals, which include seals, whales, dolphins, and walruses, form a diverse group of 128 species that rely on the ocean for their existence. They do not represent a distinct biological grouping, but rather are unified by their reliance on the marine environment for feeding. The level of...
belonging to the family Delphinidae (dolphins) in the suborder Odontoceti (toothed whales).
Taxonomy
The species was first described by the BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
taxonomist John Edward Gray
John Edward Gray
John Edward Gray, FRS was a British zoologist. He was the elder brother of George Robert Gray and son of the pharmacologist and botanist Samuel Frederick Gray ....
in 1846. Due to its relative abundance in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an waters it was among the first of the genus Lagenorhynchus (lagenos, Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for "bottle" or "flask"; rhynchos, "beak" or "snout") to be known to science. Its specific name, albirostris, translates to "white beak", a reference to the color of the species' beak, a diagnostic (albeit variable) trait useful in identification.
Description
The White-beaked dolphin is a robust species of dolphin with a short beak. Adults can reach 2.3 metres (7.5 ft) to 3.1 metres (10.2 ft) long and weigh 180 to 354 kg (400-780 lbs). Calves are 1.1 metres (3.6 ft) to 1.2 metres (3.9 ft) long at birth and probably weigh about 40 kg (88 lbs). The dolphin is characterized by its short thick creamy-white beak and very falcate (curved) dorsal fin.Distribution
The White-beaked dolphin is endemic to the North Atlantic OceanAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and is found in a band stretching across the ocean from Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
, the mouth of the St. Lawrence River and southern Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
in the west, around Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
in the centre and across in the west from northern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to Svalbard
Svalbard
Svalbard is an archipelago in the Arctic, constituting the northernmost part of Norway. It is located north of mainland Europe, midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. The group of islands range from 74° to 81° north latitude , and from 10° to 35° east longitude. Spitsbergen is the...
; however, it is not as well adapted to Arctic conditions as the beluga or narwhal
Narwhal
The narwhal, Monodon monoceros, is a medium-sized toothed whale that lives year-round in the Arctic. One of two living species of whale in the Monodontidae family, along with the beluga whale, the narwhal males are distinguished by a characteristic long, straight, helical tusk extending from their...
. The dolphin may easily be misidentified as the Atlantic white-sided dolphin
Atlantic White-sided Dolphin
The Atlantic White-sided Dolphin is a distinctively coloured dolphin found in the cool to temperate waters of the North Atlantic Ocean.-Taxonomy:...
, although the White-beaked is commonly found further north. The White-beaked dolphin is also typically larger, and does not have yellow streaks on its side.
Behavior
The population, breeding pattern, and life expectancy of the dolphin are all unknown, although most sources estimate several hundred thousand individuals, more densely populated in the eastern North Atlantic than the west.White-beaked dolphins are acrobatic and social animals
Presociality
Presociality is a phenomenon in which animals exhibit more than just sexual interactions with members of the same species, but fall short of qualifying as eusocial...
. They will frequently ride on the bow wave
Bow wave
A bow wave is the wave that forms at the bow of a ship when it moves through the water. As the bow wave spreads out, it defines the outer limits of a ship's wake. A large bow wave slows the ship down, poses a risk to smaller boats, and in a harbor can cause damage to shore facilities and moored ships...
of high-speed boats and jump clear of the sea's surface. The White-beaked dolphin is a social feeder and has frequently been observed feeding with Orca
Orca
The killer whale , commonly referred to as the orca, and less commonly as the blackfish, is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family. Killer whales are found in all oceans, from the frigid Arctic and Antarctic regions to tropical seas...
, Fin
Fin Whale
The fin whale , also called the finback whale, razorback, or common rorqual, is a marine mammal belonging to the suborder of baleen whales. It is the second longest whale and the sixth largest living animal after the blue whale, bowhead whale, and right whales, growing to nearly 27 metres long...
, and Humpback whale
Humpback Whale
The humpback whale is a species of baleen whale. One of the larger rorqual species, adults range in length from and weigh approximately . The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with unusually long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. It is an acrobatic animal, often breaching and slapping the...
s, as well as other dolphin species.
Conservation
The North and Baltic Sea populations of the White-beaked dolphin are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMSBonn Convention
The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals aims to conserve terrestrial, marine and avian migratory species throughout their range...
), since they have an unfavourable conservation status or would benefit significantly from international co-operation organised by tailored agreements.
In addition, the White-beaked dolphin is covered by the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas (ASCOBANS
ASCOBANS
ASCOBANS is a regional agreement on the protection of small cetaceans that was concluded as the “Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas” under the auspices of the UNEP Convention on Migratory Species, or Bonn Convention, in September 1991 and came into force...
).
Sources
Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern- Whales Dolphins and Porpoises, Mark Carwardine, Dorling Kindersley Handbooks, ISBN 0-7513-2781-6
- National Audubon Society Guide to Marine Mammals of the World, Reeves, Stewart, Clapham and Powell, ISBN 0-375-41141-0
External links
- White-beaked Dolphin Project Species information, white-beaked dolphins in Scottish waters, images
- ARKive Photos, video, information.
- Official website of the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas
- Convention on Migratory Species page on the White-beaked dolphin