(Image credit: David Donnelly)

The common bottlenose dolphin is quite robust and variable. They have a dark slate-grey back and a cream underside, and some individuals show strong counter-shading whilst others show a gradation of the grey through to the cream coloration, and can show paler discolouration towards the tail. They have a tall, curved (falcate) dorsal fin set mid-way down the body, and a short-moderate beak (nose) that is distinct from the head region. They are generally seen in pods of <20, but can also form large ‘super pods’, and also multi-species pods with pilot whales.

Length: Up to 3.8 m

Habitat

All oceans, coastal and inshore waters; 1 to >450 m depth

Log it

Log this species wherever it is spotted in Victorian waters

Related links/info

Species names on the Redmap site are based on the Codes for Australian Aquatic Biota or CAAB (http://www.cmar.csiro.au/caab/). This is updated regularly and lists the approved common name, family, species name and more.

Redmap species descriptions were based, with permission, on the following books:

Australian Marine Life: The Plants and Animals of Temperate Waters by G. J. Edgar, Revised Ed. (2008) Reed Books, Melbourne

Fishes of Australia’s Southern Coast, Edited by M. Gomon. D. Bray and R. Kuiter (2008) Reed Books, Melbourne

Find further information and images at FISHES OF AUSTRALIA http://www.fishesofaustralia.net.au/