Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Southern right whale dolphin
The southern right whale dolphin (Lissodelphis peronii) is a small and slender species of cetacean, found in cool waters of the Southern Hemisphere. It is one of two species of right whale dolphin (genus Lissodelphis). This genus is characterized by the lack of a dorsal fin. The other species, the northern right whale dolphin (Lissodelphis borealis), is found in deep oceans of the Northern Hemisphere and has a different pigmentation pattern than the southern right whale dolphin.
The species was first published by Bernard Germain de Lacépède in 1804. The southern right whale dolphins together with the northern right whale dolphins are the only members of the genus Lissodelphis, which name is derived from the Greek, with lisso meaning smooth, and delphis meaning dolphin. Recent classifications have placed Lissodelphis within the Delphinidae, the oceanic dolphin family of cetaceans. The specific epithet peronii commemorates François Péron, a French naturalist who saw the species near Tasmania during an expedition in 1802. Although some doubts remain on the validity of these two species, most authors currently retain them as separate species.
Both species in the genus are referred to by the name "right whale dolphin", a name derived from the right whales (Eubalaena) which also lack a dorsal fin. Other common names for the southern right whale dolphin include: whitebellied right whale dolphin, southern right whale porpoise, mealy-mouthed porpoise, tunina (tonina) sin aleta (Spanish), delfin (delphin) liso austral (Spanish), minami semi-iruka (Japanese), dauphin de Peron (French), yuzhnyi kitovidnyi delfin (Russian), Südlicher Glattdelfin (German), and zuidelijke gladde dolfijn (Dutch).
Southern right whale dolphins can be easily distinguished from other cetacean species within their range as they are the only dolphins without dorsal fins in the Southern Hemisphere. They have streamlined and graceful bodies, a single blowhole and a short and defined beak, possessing between 39 and 50 teeth per row.
A sharp dividing line separates the black dorsal part from the white ventral part of the body, running from the tail stock forward, dipping down to the flipper insertion and sweeping back up, below the eyes, to cross the melon between the blowhole and snout crease. Younger individuals can be grey/brownish dorsally but develop adult coloration within the first year. The flippers of the southern right whale dolphins are small, recurved, predominantly white and located about one-quarter of the way back from the snout tip. Their flukes are small, have a white underside and dark grey upper side, with a notch in the middle and concave trailing edges.
Variability in the size of these black and white areas exists. More extensive anomalous pigmentation has been observed, with records of pure all-white individuals, as well as melanistic (all-black) individuals. In 1998, a potential hybrid of a southern right whale dolphin and a dusky dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) was observed and subsequently described in 2002. This animal showed intermediate morphological features between the two species.
Newborn calves measure around 86 cm (34 in) in length and weigh around 5 kg (11 lb), while adults range between 2.18 and 2.5 m (7 ft 2 in and 8 ft 2 in) and weight between 60–100 kg (130–220 lb) on average. The maximum weight for southern right whale dolphins is 116 kg, with maximum lengths reaching 297 cm (117 in) in males and 230 cm (91 in) in females but few specimens have been examined and it is expected they grow larger. On average, males tend to grow slightly larger than females. Little is known of this species' reproductive biology. Research suggests that males reach sexual maturity at lengths between 212–220 cm (83–87 in) and females between 206–212 cm (81–83 in).
There are no current global abundance and mortality estimates of the species although it is considered a fairly common and abundant species along its range, particularly in Chile. The very low sighting rate is most likely caused by a lack of sampling effort and due to the difficulties of sighting the animals in their offshore habitat.
Hub AI
Southern right whale dolphin AI simulator
(@Southern right whale dolphin_simulator)
Southern right whale dolphin
The southern right whale dolphin (Lissodelphis peronii) is a small and slender species of cetacean, found in cool waters of the Southern Hemisphere. It is one of two species of right whale dolphin (genus Lissodelphis). This genus is characterized by the lack of a dorsal fin. The other species, the northern right whale dolphin (Lissodelphis borealis), is found in deep oceans of the Northern Hemisphere and has a different pigmentation pattern than the southern right whale dolphin.
The species was first published by Bernard Germain de Lacépède in 1804. The southern right whale dolphins together with the northern right whale dolphins are the only members of the genus Lissodelphis, which name is derived from the Greek, with lisso meaning smooth, and delphis meaning dolphin. Recent classifications have placed Lissodelphis within the Delphinidae, the oceanic dolphin family of cetaceans. The specific epithet peronii commemorates François Péron, a French naturalist who saw the species near Tasmania during an expedition in 1802. Although some doubts remain on the validity of these two species, most authors currently retain them as separate species.
Both species in the genus are referred to by the name "right whale dolphin", a name derived from the right whales (Eubalaena) which also lack a dorsal fin. Other common names for the southern right whale dolphin include: whitebellied right whale dolphin, southern right whale porpoise, mealy-mouthed porpoise, tunina (tonina) sin aleta (Spanish), delfin (delphin) liso austral (Spanish), minami semi-iruka (Japanese), dauphin de Peron (French), yuzhnyi kitovidnyi delfin (Russian), Südlicher Glattdelfin (German), and zuidelijke gladde dolfijn (Dutch).
Southern right whale dolphins can be easily distinguished from other cetacean species within their range as they are the only dolphins without dorsal fins in the Southern Hemisphere. They have streamlined and graceful bodies, a single blowhole and a short and defined beak, possessing between 39 and 50 teeth per row.
A sharp dividing line separates the black dorsal part from the white ventral part of the body, running from the tail stock forward, dipping down to the flipper insertion and sweeping back up, below the eyes, to cross the melon between the blowhole and snout crease. Younger individuals can be grey/brownish dorsally but develop adult coloration within the first year. The flippers of the southern right whale dolphins are small, recurved, predominantly white and located about one-quarter of the way back from the snout tip. Their flukes are small, have a white underside and dark grey upper side, with a notch in the middle and concave trailing edges.
Variability in the size of these black and white areas exists. More extensive anomalous pigmentation has been observed, with records of pure all-white individuals, as well as melanistic (all-black) individuals. In 1998, a potential hybrid of a southern right whale dolphin and a dusky dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) was observed and subsequently described in 2002. This animal showed intermediate morphological features between the two species.
Newborn calves measure around 86 cm (34 in) in length and weigh around 5 kg (11 lb), while adults range between 2.18 and 2.5 m (7 ft 2 in and 8 ft 2 in) and weight between 60–100 kg (130–220 lb) on average. The maximum weight for southern right whale dolphins is 116 kg, with maximum lengths reaching 297 cm (117 in) in males and 230 cm (91 in) in females but few specimens have been examined and it is expected they grow larger. On average, males tend to grow slightly larger than females. Little is known of this species' reproductive biology. Research suggests that males reach sexual maturity at lengths between 212–220 cm (83–87 in) and females between 206–212 cm (81–83 in).
There are no current global abundance and mortality estimates of the species although it is considered a fairly common and abundant species along its range, particularly in Chile. The very low sighting rate is most likely caused by a lack of sampling effort and due to the difficulties of sighting the animals in their offshore habitat.