Oceanic Glossary: Dolphin

Dolphin: marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin, varying in size from 4 ft/90 lb (Maui's Dolphin) up to 30 ft/10 tons (the Orca or Killer Whale). They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating fish and squid. The family Delphinidae is the largest in the Cetacean order. Dolphins are among the most intelligent animals and their often friendly appearance and seemingly playful attitude have made them popular in human culture. The word dolphin is used in a few different ways. It can mean:

- Any member of the family Delphinidae (oceanic dolphins)
- Any member of the families Delphinidae and Platanistoidea (oceanic and river dolphins)
- Any member of the suborder Odontoceti (toothed whales; these include the above families and some others)
- Used casually as a synonym for Bottlenose Dolphin, the most common and familiar species of dolphin.

Orcas and some closely related species belong to the Delphinidae family and therefore qualify as dolphins, even though they are called whales in common language. A group of dolphins is called a "school" or a "pod". Male dolphins are called "bulls", females "cows" and young dolphins are called "calves"

The following creatures comprise the Family Delphinidae, or oceanic dolphins:

(Note: genus is defined as (1) a category of related organisms usually including several species (2) a class or kind with common attributes.)

- Genus Delphinus
Long-Beaked Common Dolphin
Short-Beaked Common Dolphin

- Genus Tursiops
Common Bottlenose Dolphin
Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin

- Genus Lissodelphis
Northern Rightwhale Dolphin
Southern Rightwhale Dolphin

- Genus Sotalia Tucuxi
Costero

- Genus Sousa
Indo-Pacific Hump-backed Dolphin
Chinese White Dolphin (the Chinese variant)
Atlantic Humpbacked Dolphin

- Genus Stenella
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin
Clymene Dolphin
Pantropical Spotted Dolphin
Spinner Dolphin
Striped Dolphin

- Genus Steno
Rough-Toothed Dolphin

- Genus Cephalorhynchus
Chilean Dolphin
Commerson's Dolphin
Heaviside's Dolphin
Hector's Dolphin

- Genus Grampus
Risso's Dolphin

- Genus Lagenodelphis
Fraser's Dolphin

- Genus Lagenorhynchus
Atlantic White-Sided Dolphin
Dusky Dolphin
Hourglass Dolphin
Pacific White-Sided Dolphin
Peale's Dolphin
White-Beaked Dolphin

- Genus Orcaella
Australian Snubfin Dolphin
Irrawaddy Dolphin

- Genus Peponocephala
Melon-headed Whale

- Genus Orcinus
Killer Whale (Orca)

- Genus Feresa
Pygmy Killer Whale

- Genus Pseudorca
False Killer Whale

- Genus Globicephala
Long-finned Pilot Whale
Short-finned Pilot Whale


Common dolphin


Spotted dolphin


Bottlenose dolphin


Killer whales (Orcas)