Lagenorhynchus albirostris, White-beaked Dolphin [+]
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Cetacea
Family Delphinidae
Genus Lagenorhynchus
species: Lagenorhynchus albirostris [+ITIS +WoRMS]
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Description & Behavior
The white-beaked dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris (Gray, 1846), has a stocky body and varies in color throughout the species. Generally, these dolphins are light gray to whitish in color with distinctive markings on the body such as a lighter gray stripe, a gray-brown patch, or a white chevron-shaped stripe in front of the dorsal fin near the blowhole. These markings may also extend to the eyes. They have white beaks that measure about 5-8 cm long, which are sometimes mottled with light to dark gray spots, or are entirely light gray in color. The flukes, tail stock and flippers are generally dark gray, but sometimes feature white markings near the base of the flippers and underside of the flukes. They are almost white on the ventral side. Juvenile white-beaked dolphins have hairs on the upper lips, and adults have 4-6 hair follicles on each side of the upper jaw.
The large, curved dorsal fin is rounded at the tip. The dorsal fin and flukes appear to decrease in size as these dolphin mature. The flippers are also large, and can reach up to 19% of the total adult body length. The tail stock of Lagenorhynchus albirostris is tapered unlike that of the Atlantic white-sided dolphins, Lagenorhynchus acutus, although these two species are often confused for one another because of their similar coloration.
White-beaked dolphins typically form groups of 1-35 individuals, although occasionally schools of several hundred animals have been reported. The largest school observed contained about 1,500 dolphins, however groups this size are rare and are thought to consist of several smaller subgroups. White-beaked dolphins are known to bow ride and ride the waves behind the stern. They are agile swimmers and are frequently observed leaping from the water.
World Range & Habitat
The white-beaked dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris, is found in North Atlantic waters from the Davis Strait and Cape Cod to the Barents Sea, the Baltic Sea, Portugal and possibly Turkey. Lagenorhynchus albirostris generally prefers cool waters and migrates north into the Davis Strait during the spring and summer, then back to more southern waters in the autumn and winter.
Feeding Behavior (Ecology)
The white-beaked dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris, feed on fish, particularly clupeids, gadids, and hake as well as squid, octopus and benthic crustaceans.
Life History
White-beaked dolphins, Lagenorhynchus albirostris, reach sexual maturity at a length of about 2 m. Females bear calves between June and September that measure about 1.15 m long and weigh 40 kg.
Conservation Status/Additional Comments
The white-beaked dolphin is hunted along the coasts of Iceland, Newfoundland and Norway. They are at risk of ocean pollution such as organochlorides and heavy metals. Population sizes in some areas have increased during the last few decades, however others (such as those in the Gulf of Maine) have declined.
References & Further Research
BioOne ~ CITES ~ Discover Life ~ GBIF ~ Google Scholar ~ ITIS ~ IUCN RedList ~ MarineBio Network ~ NCBI ~ SCIRIS ~ SIRIS ~ Tree of Life Web Project ~ Wikipedia
Lagenorhynchus albirostris (White-beaked dolphin) - OBIS-SEAMAP - Species Profiles
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Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS)
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