Cetacean Lifestyle

Dolphins

Central/South
America

Asia

Misc

Submit pictures
or information

Picture Credits

Southern Right Whale Dolphin

Southern Right Whale Dolphins are the only dolphins without dorsal fins in
the southern hemisphere. They are smaller than Northern Right Whale Dolphins
and have more white on their head and sides. They have slim, graceful bodies
which are black on the upper side and white underneath. Their flippers are mainly
white and are small and curved. Their flukes are small with a notch in the middle
and concave trailing edges. Their beaks are small but distinct. They have between
43 and 49 teeth in each row of both jaws.

Streamlined body, Short, defined beak, no teeth visible, Single blowhole, Black and white
in colour, White underside, No fin, Fast active swimmer, May approach boats.

Facts

Scientific Name:

Lissodelphis peronii

Length:

1.8 to 2.9 m / (6–9 ft 6 in)

Weight:

132 to 220 pounds / 60 to 100 kg

Age:

Total Population:

Unknown

Map Range:

Southern right whale dolphins are very graceful and often move by
leaping out of the water continuously. When they swim slowly,
they expose only a small area of the head and back when they surface
to breathe. Breaching, belly-flopping, side-slapping and lob-tailing
(slapping the flukes on the water surface) have been witnessed.
They typically live in groups of between 2 and 100. Some groups are
more nervous than others and will swim away from boats, whereas others
will approach and possibly bow-ride. This tendency to bow-ride worked
against them in the 19th century, as it allowed whalers to harpoon them
from the bow and use them as food. Southern right whale dolphins are often
seen in the company of hourglass dolphins.

Captivity

There are currently no Northern Right Whale Dolphins in captivity.
No past cases are known of Northern Right Whale Dolphins in Captivity.