How to Identify Delphinidae

Delphinidae is a animal family in the Animalia kingdom, order Cetacea, class Mammalia. The family contains 32 accepted species worldwide.

Key Identification Features

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Representative Delphinidae Species

How to identify Stenella longirostris (Gray, 1828)

Stenella longirostris (Gray, 1828)

Stenella longirostris (Gray, 1828)

Stenella longirostris, the spinner dolphin, is a small, variably colored cetacea…

How to identify Lissodelphis borealis (Peale, 1848)

Lissodelphis borealis (Peale, 1848)

Lissodelphis borealis (Peale, 1848)

Lissodelphis borealis, the northern right whale dolphin, is a small finless dolp…

How to identify Sotalia fluviatilis (Gervais & Deville, 1853)

Sotalia fluviatilis (Gervais & Deville, 1853)

Sotalia fluviatilis (Gervais & Deville, 1853)

Sotalia fluviatilis, the tucuxi, is a small freshwater Amazon dolphin used in tr…

How to identify Sousa plumbea (G.Cuvier, 1829)

Sousa plumbea (G.Cuvier, 1829)

Sousa plumbea (G.Cuvier, 1829)

Sousa plumbea, the Indian Ocean humpback dolphin, is a medium-sized coastal dolp…

How to identify Grampus griseus (G.Cuvier, 1812)

Grampus griseus (G.Cuvier, 1812)

Grampus griseus (G.Cuvier, 1812)

Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) is the largest dolphin species, found worldwid…

How to identify Sousa chinensis (Osbeck, 1765)

Sousa chinensis (Osbeck, 1765)

Sousa chinensis (Osbeck, 1765)

Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) is a dolphin species with age-re…

How to identify Globicephala macrorhynchus Gray, 1846

Globicephala macrorhynchus Gray, 1846

Globicephala macrorhynchus Gray, 1846

This is a description of Globicephala macrorhynchus, the short-finned pilot whal…

How to identify Lagenorhynchus acutus (Gray, 1828)

Lagenorhynchus acutus (Gray, 1828)

Lagenorhynchus acutus (Gray, 1828)

This is a detailed description of the Atlantic white-sided dolphin, covering its…

How to identify Orcinus orca (Linnaeus, 1758)

Orcinus orca (Linnaeus, 1758)

Orcinus orca (Linnaeus, 1758)

Orcinus orca, the orca, is the largest living dolphin, found in all oceans, with…

How to identify Cephalorhynchus heavisidii (Gray, 1828)

Cephalorhynchus heavisidii (Gray, 1828)

Cephalorhynchus heavisidii (Gray, 1828)

Heaviside's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus heavisidii) is a small cetacean native to t…

How to identify Cephalorhynchus hectori (P.-J.van Bénéden, 1881)

Cephalorhynchus hectori (P.-J.van Bénéden, 1881)

Cephalorhynchus hectori (P.-J.van Bénéden, 1881)

Hector's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori) is the world's smallest dolphin, ende…

How to identify Sotalia guianensis (P.-J.van Bénéden, 1864)

Sotalia guianensis (P.-J.van Bénéden, 1864)

Sotalia guianensis (P.-J.van Bénéden, 1864)

Sotalia guianensis, the Guiana dolphin, is a small cetacean found in coastal Sou…

Browse all 32 Delphinidae species →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you identify Delphinidae?

Delphinidae animals belong to the Cetacea order in the Animalia kingdom. In this subspecies, a dark dorsal cape softens the distinctness of their tripartite color patterns. For instant identification, use the iNature app — AI-powered and works offline.

What are the key characteristics of Delphinidae?

Delphinidae is classified in the order Cetacea, class Mammalia, phylum Chordata. Adults are typically dark gray overall, with different varieties showing distinct coloration patterns.

Sources: GBIF, iNaturalist, Wikipedia · Disclaimer

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