Dolphins ( Odontoceti) are one of the most beautiful groups of aquatic mammals. Most species of dolphins live in seawater and can be found in all the world’s oceans, as only a few species live in freshwater in Asia and South America.
These aquatic mammals belong to the infraorder “Cetacea”, a group of animals that includes whales, dolphins and porpoises.
As a favorite among wildlife watchers, dolphins are well known for their agility and playful demeanor. They are very intelligent – they never cease to amaze scientists with their learning and cognition abilities – and sociable and one of the most emblematic species in the marine world.
The largest dolphin species (the killer whale) grows to over 30 feet in length , while the smallest, Hector’s dolphin or white-headed dolphin ( Cephalorhynchus hectori ) is only 1.3 meters long.
The living habitat of each species plays an important role in its overall size as feeding habits often make a difference in size even within the same species.
Regardless of where they live, dolphins have to reach the surface of the ocean to breathe at different time intervals. This cycle can last up to 30 minutes in some large species.
Dolphin skin color is blue-gray, but it can also be black, white, light gray, bluish, and even pink, or the combination of these colors varies by species. However, in all cases, your skin is very sensitive to impacts and other elements that may be in the water.
The dorsal fin of a dolphin (located on the back of the dolphin) acts like a keel when the animal swims, giving the dolphin directional control and stability in the water. But not all dolphins have this dorsal fin; for example, the northern finless dolphin ( Lissodelphis borealis) , as its name suggests, lacks a dorsal fin.
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