| White-beaked dolphins have similar habits to Atlantic white-sided dolphins, and live in similar cold-water regions of the North Atlantic. They eat fish, squid, octopus, and crustaceans. They are seen in small groups, but also in schools of 500. They often follow ships or ride their bow waves, and can be very acrobatic. They sometimes strand, but not in large groups. They can also get trapped in pack ice or caught in fish nets. Studying trapped or stranded individuals has produced some information. The mean length of mature females is thought to be about 2.3-2.4 m, and newborns are probably 1.1-1.2 m long. Males are slightly larger: the smallest mature male measured 2.51 m. Sexual maturity of males is determined by dissecting them. The testes of cetaceans are internal, are small in juveniles, and become much larger at maturity.
Also known as:
Delfín de Pico Blanco, Jumper
Sexual Dimorphism:
Males are slightly larger than females.
Length:
Range:
2.5-3.1 m males; 1.8-2.4 m females
Weight:
Range:
up to 354 kg males; up to 306 kg females
References:
Gray, 1846. Annals and Magazine of Natural History. [ser. 1] 17:84.
Links:
Mammal Species of the World
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