A complete list of dolphin species with pictures and interesting facts. Discover the many different types of dolphins that are alive today.
Dolphins are marine mammals belonging to the infraorder Cetacea, which is also home to whales and porpoises. Known for their high intelligence and acrobatic displays, dolphins are among the most familiar and best-loved members of the animal kingdom.
On this page is a list of all living dolphin species, with pictures and interesting facts on each. The list contains every species in the oceanic dolphin family Delphinidae, and all of the river dolphins, which are found in freshwater habitats.
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin
Also on this page is an interactive table of dolphin species. Using this, you can explore dolphin species by sorting them by name, family, genus, size, conservation status, etc.
The common bottlenose dolphin is one of the best-known dolphin species due to its use in zoos and appearances in films and TV shows.
There are 40 living dolphin species*. (On this page, 41 species are listed, as we’ve included the Baiji, which is now believed to be extinct.)
Types Of Dolphins And Swimming Mammals Species Outline Collection Diagram
* We’ve used the dolphin species listed in the Catalogue of Life online database. Other authorities may recognize a different number of dolphins – see the how we compiled this list section for details.
The list contains dolphins that are commonly known as whales, including the killer whale or orca (which is an oceanic dolphin belonging to the family Delphinidae).
All dolphins are whales, as they belong to the parvorder Odontoceti – a group of cetaceans known as toothed whales. However, dolphins are usually treated as a separate group (as on this page). You can see a list of all living whale species on this page: Types of WhalesEndangered Dolphins
Types Of Dolphins: Facts And Photos Of Dolphin Species
Sadly, several dolphin species are endangered. We’ve included the IUCN conservation status of each species (Source: IUCN Red List, June 2023). You can use the table below to sort the dolphin species by conservation status.
The two main types of dolphins are oceanic dolphins (family Delphinidae), and river dolphins (various families). The majority of dolphins are oceanic dolphins; only a handful of species are found in freshwater habitats. Both types of dolphins are included in the list below.
This species is endemic to the Eastern Atlantic, being found off the west coast of Africa from Western Sahara to Angola, often within close range of land.
Dolphins Of The Red Sea
The Atlantic humpback dolphin lives in small groups. Due to habitat loss, incidental catch, and other threats, this species is critically endangered.
Atlantic Spotted Dolphins have a slender body with a distinct dark dorsal cape and spots covering their light gray or white sides.
This species is highly social, usually living in groups of up to 15 individuals, and often associating with other dolphin species, including the common bottlenose dolphin, with which the Atlantic spotted dolphin has been known to successfully breed.
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Atlantic white-sided dolphins are large dolphins with a highly-distinctive color pattern: a dark gray back, white or light gray belly, and a pale yellow-gray patch behind the dorsal fin. They are acrobatic, and will often interact with boats.
Like other humpback dolphins, the species has a hump on its back. It is silver-gray in color, with pale fins and a dark gray back. It is found in the coastal waters, estuaries, and rivers along the northern half of Australia, from the Queensland-New South Wales border in the east to Shark Bay in Western Australia.
The Australian Snubfin Dolphin was recognized as a distinct species in 2005 (until then, it and the closely-related Irrawaddy dolphin were considered the same species). Its name refers to the short, blunt dorsal fin on its back.
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The species has a three-color pattern, which distinguishes it from the Irrawaddy dolphin (which has two colors). It is an opportunistic, generalist feeder, that eats a wide variety of fish. (source)
Also known as the Black Dolphin, the Chilean Dolphin is one of the smallest cetacean species. It has a robust build, with a rounded head and no beak, and is occasionally mistaken for a porpoise. Its body is dark grey to black, with a white underside.
Unlike many other dolphin species, the Chilean Dolphin is relatively shy and elusive. It is usually seen in small pods of up to 10 individuals.
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Also known as the short-snouted spinner dolphin, the Clymene dolphin has a slender body with three main colors: dark gray back and sides, paler gray on the throat and sides, and white undersides. The species is known for its long, slender beak and its impressive acrobatics, and is often seen leaping and spinning out of the water.
The Clymene dolphin’s ancestors were hybrids of the spinner dolphin and striped dolphin, and the species has characteristics of both. It is the only known example of hybrid speciation (the process whereby a new species evolves as a result of hybridization) in cetaceans.
Commerson’s Dolphins are known for their striking black and white patterning. One of the smallest dolphin species, they have a robust build and a rounded dorsal fin. They are energetic and acrobatic, often seen riding the bow wave created by boats. Their diet consists of fish and squid.
Whales And Dolphins Of South Africa
Commerson’s Dolphin is named after French naturalist Philibert Commerson, who discovered the species as he circumnavigated the globe in an expedition led by admiral and explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville.
Where found: Widely distributed around the world in both offshore and coastal areas, including harbors, bays, gulfs, and estuaries of temperate and tropical waters.
The common bottlenose dolphin is one of the most well-known dolphin species due to its use in aquarium shows and movies. The species is known both for its intelligence and its acrobatic behavior.
How Many Different Types Of Dolphins Are There?
The common bottlenose dolphin is grey in color, with a lighter underside. It has a varied diet that includes fish and squid.
Known for its playful behavior and agility, the common dolphin is popular with watchers of marine wildlife. It is a mid-sized species with a dark gray-black back, white belly and distinctive pale grey, yellow or gold hourglass-shaped patch on its sides.
The dusky dolphin is a small, robust cetacean known for its impressive acrobatics. It is easily identified by its short, curved dorsal fin and a complex, striking body pattern with a dark gray or black back, white underside, and characteristic light gray patch on the flank, extending from the tail to the center of the body.
Rarely Seen Dolphin Species
Dusky dolphins inhabit cool, upwelling-rich waters of the Southern Hemisphere, particularly around South America, New Zealand, and some parts of Africa. They are primarily coastal but can also be found in offshore waters.
The dusky dolphin is known for its social nature and is often seen in large groups, sometimes numbering in the hundreds. The species’ acrobatic displays, including leaps, backslaps, and belly flops, are a spectacle to behold, making it a favorite among wildlife enthusiasts.
The false killer whale, despite its name, is not directly related to the killer whale, or orca. The species is named for the similarity of its skull with that of the orca.
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A large dolphin, the false killer whale typically measures up to 6 meters in length and can weigh as much as 1, 500 kilograms. It is characterized by its elongated, slim body, rounded overhanging forehead, and small, conical, slightly upturned snout.
False killer whales are highly sociable and known for their playful behavior and occasional mass strandings. They are found throughout the world’s tropical and temperate seas and have a preference for deep, open ocean environments.
False killer whales are known to share food among group members, highlighting their strong social bonds. The species has the IUCN conservation status ‘Near Threatened’ due to its low reproduction rates and threats such as bycatch, marine pollution, and reduction in prey from overfishing.
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Fraser’s dolphin is a lesser-known dolphin species known for its small beak, robust, torpedo-shaped body and a notably small dorsal fin relative to its body size. It has a striking color pattern, with a gray back and white undersides separated by a dark stripe that runs from the face, around the eye, and along the flanks.
Found in deep waters of the tropical Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, Fraser’s dolphin is a highly social species, often traveling in large groups, sometimes numbering in the thousands. It is known to be a fast swimmer.
The Guiana dolphin, also known as the Costero or estuarine dolphin, looks like a small bottlenose dolphin, and has a robust build and prominent beak.
Sea Dolphins Characteristics & Classification. Information About Types Of Dolphins
The species is found close to the Atlantic coast of South and Central America, and is known to venture into freshwater habitats. It is generally found in small groups of 2-10 individuals.
Heaviside’s dolphin is a small, robust species with a dark grey top, lighter flanks, and a white belly. It is known for its acrobatic behavior and is often seen breaching and surfing in waves. Its diet consists mostly of fish and cephalopods.
Hector’s dolphin is one of the smallest dolphin species in the world, and the only species found only in New Zealand. It has a unique rounded dorsal fin and has a pale grey body with dark head and fins.
Are Dolphins Endangered? Conservation Status And Threats
The hourglass dolphin is a relatively small species, named for the distinctive white, elongated “hourglass” pattern on its dark body. It
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