Stenella frontalis

Status

Atlantic Spotted Dolphins are killed in small harpoon fisheries in the Caribbean and off St. Vincent and the Azores. All efforts to successfully keep this species in captivity have failed.

History:

• 1994-Insufficiently Known (Groombridge 1994)

Threats:

• 3.1.2 Harvesting (hunting/gathering) - Food - Sub-national/national trade (ongoing)
• 3.4.2 Harvesting (hunting/gathering) - Materials - Sub-national/national trade (ongoing)
There is no dolphin hunting in the Azores!! In fact, the tuna caught in the azores is certified as dolphin safe.

For info on these threat codes, see here.

Justification

Extract from Reeves et al. (2003, pp. 46): "Atlantic Spotted Dolphins occur throughout much of the tropical and warm temperate Atlantic Ocean. They are generally abundant in shelf waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. Some animals are harpooned for food or bait in the Caribbean Sea and possibly elsewhere along the coasts of northeastern South America, West Africa, and offshore islands. There are few abundance estimates, and mortality in gillnets and other fishing gear is poorly documented. No serious conservation problems are known, but it is important to emphasize that no proper assessment has been conducted."

Taxonomy

Unambiguous Synonyms:

1. Stenella fontalis (G. Cuvier, 1829)
2. Stenella plagiodon (Cope, 1866)

Notes:

Name Status: Accepted Name. Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 08-Jun-2002

Physical Description

Family Delphinidae:

The family Delphinidae has been called a 'taxonomic trash basket', because many small to medium-sized odontocetes of various forms have been lumped together in this group for centuries. Consequentely, the so-called delphinids are diverse in form. They range in size from 1 to 1.88 m dolphins of the genera Sotalia and Cephalorhynchus, to the killer whale, in which males can reach lengths of at least 9.8 m. However, most delphinids share the following characteristics: a marine habitat, a noticeable beak, conical teeth, and a large falcate dorsal fin set near the middle of the back. There are exceptions to everyone of these rules, except the presence of basically conical teeth.

Species Stenella frontalis:

The Atlantic Spotted Dolphin is a fairly robust animal, with a heavier body than its cousin, the Pantropical Spotted Dolphin. It has a moderately long, chunky beak that is tipped with white, and occasionally the lips may also be this colour. There are 30-42 pairs of teeth on each jaw. The upper body colour is dark purplish-grey which fades to medium-grey and white undersides. There is a distinct blaze along the spine that sweeps up into the dark dorsal cape. Spotting varies from very heavy to no spots at all. On dark areas, the spots are pale, and darken on lighter parts, and the number of spots increases with age. They reach at least 2.3m and 143kg.

Recognition at sea: The Atlantic Spotted Dolphin could be confused with the larger Bottlenose Dolphin if only faintly spotted however, the combination of spots and spinal blaze is a characteristic only of the former.

Spotted body usually decreases with distance from continental shores of North America. Spots increase with age within population. Robust head and body. Long, slim beak. Dark gray, purplish dorsal cape, extending from the top of the head to about halfway down the side of the animal, behind the flipper and sweeping up to the end behind the dorsal fin. Ventral surface is light gray. Tall, falcate fin. White-tipped beak. Size: 2.2 meters (both sexes).

Images:

Distribution

Aquatic Regions

Atlantic-eastern central, Atlantic-northeast, Atlantic-northwest, Atlantic-southeast, Atlantic-southwest, Atlantic-western central. Stenella Frontalis (Atlantic Spotted Dolphin) Widely disributed in tropical and warm temperate waters circumglobally. Found in the South Atlantic to North Atlantic from 40° N to 40° S. Indian Ocean - Schools as far South as 35° S. Eastern Pacific from 25° N to 15° S near coast of Central and South America

Range and Population

Atlantic Ocean.

Habitat

Offshore and inshore warm temperate, subtropical and tropical waters in both the North and South Atlantic. Offshore forms occur mainly in tropical waters north of the equator and in seasonal tropical waters south of the Galapagos Islands.

Biome

Marine

Diet

Varies with location. At or near surface. Includes squid or octopus, frigate makeral, flying fish, small eels, herring and other invertebrates.

Reproduction

May live as long as 45 years. Calving dates in May and September. Gestation period is between 11 and 12 months. Males are sexually mature at 12 years and 1.49 m long and females at 9 years at 1.82 m long. Evidence of mating year round.

Behavior

The typical family group can reach a maximum of around fifty individuals, but most often numbers between 5-15 in coastal areas. This species is particularly vocal and very active at the surface high jumps, lobtailling, forward flips and bowriding have all been observed. They have also been seen aiding distressed members of their schools.

Frequently school with other species such as spinner dolphins. Groups may range in size from a few to several thousand in offshore regions. Segregation by age, sex, and reproductive status has been observed. Active at surface- hurl and jump into the air, forward flips, pitch poling tail lobbing and bow riding. Vigorous swimmers.

Similar Species

Members of the genus Stenella:

There are approximately 94 species and subspecies in this genus: S. adeniae · S. aegles · S. aeglicola · S. africana · S. alocasiae · S. alpiniae · S. anamirtae · S. annonaceae · S. assamensis · S. attenuata (Bridled Dolphin) · S. attenuata attenuata (Pantropical Spotted Dolphin) · S. attenuata graffmani (Coastal Spotted Dolphin) · S. brideliicola · S. buteae · S. canavaliae · S. capparicola · S. cassiae · S. celastri · S. cercestidis · S. chandleri · S. cinnamomi · S. clymene (Atlantic Spinner Dolphin) · S. coeruleoalba (Euphrosyne Dolphin) · S. coffeae · S. colocasiae · S. constricta · S. crotalariicola · S. cynanchi · S. döderleini · S. eugenicola · S. euphrosyne · S. extremorum · S. fabacearum · S. fagraeae · S. ficina · S. formosa · S. fraenata · S. fraenatus · S. frontalis (Atlantic Spotted Dolphin) · S. gahniae · S. giulii · S. glycosmidis · S. gongronematis · S. graffmani · S. gynoxidicola · S. heterophragmae · S. hippocratiae · S. horrida · S. hyptiantherae · S. kansensis · S. lantanae · S. laurina · S. liabicola · S. limbata · S. longirostris (Long-Beaked Dolphin) · S. longirostris centroamerica (Long-Snouted Spinner Dolphin) · S. longirostris longirostris · S. longirostris orientalis · S. longrostris · S. lygodii · S. lythri · S. mahoniae · S. marasasii · S. marginata · S. meynae-laxiflorae · S. mitellae · S. mornidae · S. murrayae · S. myxa · S. orchidacearum · S. oroxylicola · S. pentatropidis · S. pithecellobii · S. plectroniae · S. pluriseptata · S. pseudoramularia · S. pterocarpi · S. rhododendri · S. rhododendrigena · S. rufescens · S. schizandrae · S. scleriae · S. smilacigena · S. smilacis · S. sonapathriensis · S. spinosa · S. styx · S. telosmae · S. tiliacorae · S. tristaniae · S. vangueriae · S. variabilis · S. xenoparkii · S. xeromphigena

Members of the genus Aspidium:

There are approximately 706 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them: A. spinulosum eu-spinulosum · A. abbreviatum · A. abortivum · A. abruptum · A. acanthophyllum · A. acrocarpon · A. acrostichoides · A. aculeatum · A. aculeatum var. semifertile · A. acuminatum · A. acutum · A. adenophorum · A. adiantiforme · A. adnatum · A. adultum · A. aemulum · A. aesculifolium · A. affine · A. affinis · A. africanum · A. alatellum · A. alatum · A. albicaule · A. albolineatum · A. alloeopteron · A. alpestre · A. alpinum · A. amabile · A. ambiguum · A. amboinense · A. americanum · A. ameristoneuron · A. ammifolium · A. amplificatum · A. anateinophlebium · A. angilogense · A. angulare (Plants) · A. angulatum · A. angustifrons · A. angustum · A. anomophyllum f. micropterum · A. anopteron · A. antarcticum · A. apicale · A. apiciflorum · A. apifolium · A. apiifolium · A. aquapimense · A. arbuscula · A. arcuatum · A. arendsii · A. argentinum · A. argutum · A. aridum · A. aristatum · A. articulatum · A. asperulum · A. asperum · A. asplenioides · A. asterolepis · A. athamanticum · A. atomarium · A. atratum · A. atrorubens · A. augescens · A. auriculatum · A. auritum · A. bakeri · A. balansae · A. bamleriana · A. bamlerianum · A. barberi · A. barbigerum · A. baromez · A. basipinnatum · A. beddomei · A. bergianum · A. berteroanum · A. bicknellii · A. biseriatum · A. bisseratum · A. bodinieri · A. boottii · A. boryanum · A. bosniacum · A. boydiae · A. brachiatum · A. brachyodon · A. brackenridgei · A. bradei · A. brasilianum · A. braunii · A. breutelianum · A. breutelii · A. bridgesii · A. brooksii · A. brunonianum · A. bulbiferum · A. bullatum · A. caducum

Bibliography

• Alfred L. Gardner: Includes Stenella plagiodon
• Banks, R. C., R. W. McDiarmid, A. L. Gardner, and W. C. Starnes 2003. Checklist of Vertebrates of the United States, the U.S. Territories, and Canada.
• Dr. James G. Mead: Status: CITES - Appendix II
• Groombridge, B. (ed.) 1994. 1994 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.
• Reeves, R.R., Smith, B.D., Crespo, E.A. and di Sciara, G.N. (compilers) 2003. Dolphins, Whales and Porpoises: 2002-2010 Conservation Action Plan for the World's Cetaceans. IUCN/SSC Cetacean Specialist Group. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.
• Rice, Dale W. 1998. Marine Mammals of the World: Systematics and Distribution. Special Publications of the Society for Marine Mammals, no. 4. The Society for Marine Mammalogy. Lawrence, Kansas, USA. ix + 231. ISBN: 1-891276-03-4.
• Wilson, Don E., and DeeAnn M. Reeder, eds. 1993. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, 2nd ed., 3rd printing. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington, DC, USA. xviii + 1207. ISBN: 1-56098-217-9.

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Notes

Contributors:

• Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2006. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed October 4, 2006.
• Cetacea.org
• Cetacean Specialist Group 1996. Stenella frontalis. In: IUCN 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org . Downloaded on 20 October 2006.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed March 12, 2008. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 4 providers.
• Whale Songs

Data Sources:

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal March 12, 2008:

• EMAN Provider: PIROP (Shipboard Surveys)
• European Environment Agency: EUNIS
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: SEAMAP - marine mammals, birds and turtles
• Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History: Vertebrate specimens
• Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University: MCZ Mammalogy Collection

Identifiers:

• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 552460
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13837216
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: AMAGE01060
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 10199