Classification
- Order
- Cetacea
- Suborder
- Odontocete
- Family
- Delphinidae
- Genus
- Tursiops
- Species
- Tursiops Truncatus
The bottlenose dolphin is the best-known member of the dolphin family. It is dark grey with a paler belly and has a prominent, slightly falcate dorsal fin. Its beak is short and stubby, with a slightly upturned mouthline that gives it a kind of smile. It can reach up to 3 m in length and a maximum weight of 400 kg. The female is slightly smaller than the male.
Its aquatic abilities are remarkable: it can reach a speed of about 30 km/h thanks to the thrust of its tail fluke and can dive to depths of 500 m; it is also capable of spectacular leaps.
In our seas, mating and births are concentrated in the summer. Gestation (pregnancy) lasts about 12 months. Once born, the calf stays by its mother's side for almost two years, nursed and protected not only by its mother but also by all the other females in the group. Females reach adulthood at around 9-10 years of age, and males between 10 and 13.
It is a coastal species and its dives are normally very short, with long intervals at the surface. These are sociable animals and groups of several individuals are often seen.
Its diet is very varied, including both oily fish and shallow-water fish such as grey mullet, as well as cephalopods.
