Commerson's Dolphin

 

Animal Unique | Commerson's Dolphin | Commerson's dolphin is one of four dolphins in the Cephalorhynchus genus. The species has also the common names Skunk Dolphin, Piebald Dolphin and Panda Dolphin. The species is distributed over two locations. A larger population is found along the coast in various inlets in Argentina, in the Strait of Magellan and around the Falkland Islands. The second population is living near the Kerguelen Islands, 8.000 kilometers east of the nearest special cousins. They prefer shallow waters. Global populations are unknown, but the species is to be accepted locally common. Commerson's dolphin is found in two different geographical areas, the southern coast of South America around Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands and the waters around the Kerguelen Islands in the southern Indian Ocean.

Scientific classification
Kingdom:     Animalia
Phylum:     Chordata
Class:     Mammalia
Subclass:     Eutheria
Order:     Cetacea
Suborder:     Odontoceti
Family:     Delphinidae
Genus:     Cephalorhynchus
Species:     C. commersonii

Commerson's dolphin has a very distinctive patterns. He has a black head, dorsal fin and fluke, with a white throat and body. The delineation between the two colors is very clear. The dorsal fin has a long, straight edge, ending in a curved tip. The rear edge is typically concave but not falcate. The fluke has a notch in the middle. This dolphin has no rostrum. Sexes are easily distinguished by the different shape of the black patch on the belly - it is shaped like a teardrop in men, but is more rounded in females. Females reach reproductive age from six to nine years. Males are sexually mature at about the same age.

Commerson's dolphins appear to be opportunistic feeders. They consume fish, squid, and shrimp They feed mainly near the seabed. Commerson's dolphins typically eat 3.5 to 6 kilograms of food per day. This is relatively a much larger amount than or killer whales or dolphins take every day, and is due to Commerson's dolphin having a metabolism that is two to three times higher than many other species of whale or dolphin.

Commerson's dolphins are usually alone or in small groups of two to three animals were found, and occasionally spotted in larger groups of 20-30 or more dolphins. They often hunt together or round fish passage and take turns to feed the fish or even clustered driving fish onshore and temporarily beaching themselves to snatch the fish. These dolphins are often seen wave-riding in the wake of arcs or high-speed boats, coastal breakers or ground wells.

Within their reach, Commerson's dolphins are fairly common. However, some accidentally caught in fishing nets and slain during a portion of their range, particularly off the coast of Argentina. In the past, local fishermen purposely these dolphins for food, oil or bait. Now that this practice is illegal, the percentage of the hunt for the Commerson's dolphin reportedly refused. Yet it is not known how much the accidental capture of Commerson's dolphin entanglement in fishing nets still affect the population numbers. In some parts of their range Commerson's dolphins have been found with elevated levels of industrial pollutants, which is also a threat to the population numbers. Like other species of cetaceans, international laws to protect Commerson's dolphins.

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