About Dolphins

Spinner Dolphins

Spinner Dolphins are aquatic mammals.

Spinner Dolphin Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cetacea
Family: Delphinidae
Genus: Stenella
Species: Longirostris

Central American Spinner Dolphin: Longirostris Centroamericana
Gray's Spinner Dolphin: Longirostris Longirostris
Eastern Spinner Dolphins: Longirostris Orientalis
Dwarf Spinner Dolphins: Longirostris Roseiventris
Short-Snouted Spinner Dolphin: Longirostris Clymene

Size: Spinner dolphins are approximately 6-7 feet in lenght and weigh approximately 130 to 170 lbs, when full grown.

Habitat: Spinner dolphins are found in the deep ocean, with a coastal distribution around Hawaii. They rest in shallower protected waters during the day and hunt in deeper waters in the evening. Spinner Dolphins

Other Names:

Central American Spinner Dolphin: Costa Rican Spinner Dolphin

Gray's Spinner Dolphin: Hawaiian Spinner Dolphin

Eastern Spinner Dolphin: White Belly Spinner Dolphin (possibly a cross bred species)

Dwarf Spinner Dolphin:

Short Snouted Spinner: Clymene Dolphins

Diet: Spinner dolphins feed on fish native to their environment and squid. Most Spinner Dolphins hunt in deep waters at night.

Senses: Spinner Dolphins have an acute sense of hearing. They have acute vision both in and out of the water. Their sense of touch is well developed. Spinner Dolphins use echolocation for navigation, it can be thought of as similar to a built in radar system.

Hunting: Most spinner dolphin species feed at night, eating native fish and squid.

Gestation: Spinner dolphins carry their young for 11 months.

Birth: Spinner dolphin calves are born tail first. They are 3-4 feet long and weigh about 44 lbs.

Sexual Maturity: Female spinner dolphins sexually mature at 4 to 7 years of age, while male Spinner Dolphins mature at 7 to 10 years of age.

Life Span: Spinner dolphins live more than 20 years, and some Spinner Dolphins have been known to live up to 40 years. Spinner Dolphins populations have decreased due to the dolphins becoming entangled in tuna fishing nets.

Central American Spinner Dolphin

Conservation Status: Not Endangered

Central American Spinner Dolphin

Eastern Spinner Dolphin

Description: Spinner Dolphins are on the small side, and tend to be have long slender snouts. Spinner dolphins can vary in color depending on their location.

Communication: Spinner Dolphins produce a wide variety of signals, including: clicks, screams, and whistles to communicate with others in their pod.

Did You Know?

Spinner dolphins populations have been significantly decreased due to their entanglements in fishing nets used by fisherman to trap tuna.

Social Structure: Spinner dolphins are often found with bottlenose dolphins, spotted dolphins, or Humpback whales. They will occur in groups of several hundred to several thousand. They are very friendly and social.

Athleticism: Spinner dolphins are best known for their above-water displays of leaping and spinning several times on their body axis, while out of the water. They will often leap in a series of jumps.

Unusual: Spinner dolphins are known for their arial rotations. They leap up to 3 meters out of the water and spin three to four times.