Common dolphin©M.Dewynter/CARIMAM

Long-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis)©A.Suardi/COHABYS

- TAXONOMY
Class : Mammalia
Order : Cetartiodactyla
Infraorder : Cetacea
Parvorder : Odontoceti
Family : Delphinidae
Common names :
English : Common dolphin
Spanish : Delfin común
French : Dauphin commun

- MORPHOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR
Morphology : slender body. Narrow and slightly falcate dorsal fin. In the Caribbean, only the long-beaked common dolphin, characterized by a particularly long and narrow beak, has been identified so far. Scientists are still debating whether it is a full species (Delphinus capensis).
Color and patterns : dark gray back, light belly and characteristic "hourglass" pattern on the flanks, with white-beige coloration in front and gray in the back.
Body length : 2-2.5 m
Group size : usually few to several dozens of individuals.
Specific behavior : they often get close to vessels and bow ride. It usually dives to few dozen meters for several minutes.
Feeding : it mainly consumes small epipelagic schooling fish, such as anchovy, sardines and mackerel, but may also feed on cephalopods.

- DISTRIBUTION
Global distribution : they occur in tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters around the world, from 50° south to 40-60° north.
Sightings in the Wider Caribbean region : the common dolphin is regularly observed only on the continental shelf, from Venezuela to French Guiana.

- CONSERVATION
Threats recorded in the Wider Caribbean region : bycatch in active and ghost fishing nets.
UICN Status : LC (Least Concern)
SPAW status : classified in annex II of the Spaw Protocol since 1991.

Sources  :
International Whaling Commission
IUCN (2021) The IUCN redlist of threatened species.
IUCN and Zoological Society of London (2012) National Red Lists
Jefferson T.A., Webber M.A., Pitman R.L. (2015) Marine mammals of the world : a comprehensive guide to their identification. Academic Press.
Kaschner, K., Reeves, R. (2011) LifeWeb species distribution factsheets.
NOOA (2021) Species fact sheets - Marine mammals.
Ocean Science & Logistic (2020) Guide des cétacés de Guyane française. OSL, canopée des Science, Cayenne, Guyane française.
Savouré-Soubelet A., Aulagnier S., Haffner P., et al. (coord.) (2016) Atlas des mammifères sauvages de France volume 1 : Mammifères marins. Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris ; IRD, Marseille.
Society for marine mammalogy-Species fact sheets
SPAW-RAC. (2020). Implementation of the Action Plan for Marine Mammals in the Wider Caribbean Region : A Scientific and Technical Analysis. Authored by Vail, C. and Borobia, M. UNEP, SPAW-RAC.
Ward, N., Bogomolni, A., Potter, C. (2013) A stranding guide to marine mammals of the Wider Caribbean region : An introduction field for stranding responders. Gecko Production Inc. ISBN : 978-1-891694-00-4.