Spinner dolphin
Stenella longirostris
- Scientific name
- Stenella longirostris
- Group
- Marine mammals
- Rarity
- Rare
- Where to see it
- Indo-Pacific & Red Sea
- Conservation status (IUCN)
- Least concern
Did you know?
The spinner dolphin is famous for its spectacular leaps, during which it can spin around its own axis several times before splashing back down. It rests during the day in shallow bays and heads offshore to hunt at night.
What defines this group — Marine mammals
Warm-blooded, they nurse their young and breathe air — the group closest to us underwater.
- They breathe through a blowhole (whales, dolphins) or nostrils (seals, sea lions).
- A thick layer of blubber, rather than fur, insulates them from the cold.
- Many navigate and hunt by sound, using echolocation.