Spinner dolphin ©M.Dewynter/CARIMAM

Spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris)©C.Pusineri/ONCFS

- TAXONOMY
Class : Mammalia
Order : Cetartiodactyla
Infraorder : Cetacea
Parvorder : Odontoceti
Family : Delphinidae
Common names :
English : Spinner dolphin
Spanish : Delfín rotador
French : Dauphin à long bec

- MORPHOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR
Morphology : slender body with exceedingly long, slender beak ; black-tipped lips and beak tip ; dorsal fin variably falcate to triangular ; dark stripe from eye to flipper.
Color and patterns : tricolored pattern with parallel borders of color : slender dark gray cape does not dip below dorsal fin, light tan-gray sides and white belly. Black-tipped lips and beak tip.
Size : 1.6-2.2 m.
Group size : usually several dozen to few hundred individuals.
Specific behavior : well-known for their aerial displays, such as such as jumping, flipping, and twisting. They are often attracted by boats and bow ride.
Feeding : feeds mainly on small deep-sea oceanic cephalopods, when they rise to few hundred meters from the surface, at night. It usually performs group hunting.

- 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 : The species is found in all the Wider Caribbean region. However, it is most often sighted along continental slopes and rarely around the Caribbean Island arc.

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

Sources  :
[International Whaling Commission-species fact sheets>https://iwc.int/whale-species]
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.