Pantropical spotted dolphin (Stenella attenuata)

- TAXONOMY
Class : Mammalia
Order : Cetartiodactyla
Infraorder : Cetacea
Parvorder : Odontoceti
Family : Delphinidae
Common names :
English : Pantropical spotted dolphin
Spanish : Delfín manchado pantropical
French : Dauphin tacheté pantropical

- MORPHOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR
Morphology : slender body. Long and narrow beak. Narrow and falcate dorsal fin.
Color and patterns : distinct dark gray cape extending past dorsal fin. Light gray sides and belly. White-tipped lips and beak tip. Dark stripe from beak to eyes. Light spotting that develops with age.
Body length : 1.6-2.6 m
Group size : usually several dozen to few hundred individuals.
Specific behavior : they often get close to vessels and bow ride. It often associates with other species, such as the melon-headed whale and the Fraser’s dolphin.
Feeding : feeds mainly on small deep-sea oceanic fish and cephalopods, when they rise to few hundred meters from the surface, at night. However, it also consumes epipelagic fish during the day, such as flying fish.

- DISTRIBUTION
Global distribution : they occur in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate waters of all oceans, from 40° south to 40° north.
Sightings in the Wider Caribbean region : It is the most frequently observed delphinid species in the Caribbean, especially on the continental slopes and island slopes.

- CONSERVATION
Threats recorded in the Wider Caribbean region : bycatch in active and ghost fishing nets, and whaling.
Global IUCN 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.