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Marine Mammals > Dolphins > Flashcards

Dolphins Flashcards

descriptions and information with focus on bottlenoses

1
Q

average size of dolphins

A

between 9-20 feet

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2
Q

locations of dolphin habitats

A

inshore, offshore, coastal

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3
Q

describe the head of a dolphin

A

bulbous melon on head with a protruding distinctive beak

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4
Q

describe the teeth of a dolphin

A

conical (cone) shaped teeth

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5
Q

life span of dolphins

A

about 40 years

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6
Q

how many species of dolphins are there

A

38 oceanic species and 4 endangered river species

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7
Q

largest species of dolphin

A

orca

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8
Q

list 4 endangered river dolphin species

A

amazon river dolphin, ganges river dolphin, indus river dolphin, and irrawady dolphin

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9
Q

what species of dolphin is blind

A

indus river dolphin

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10
Q

list 30 species of dolphins

A
  1. atlantic bottlenose dolphin
  2. pantropical spotted dolphin
  3. commerson’s dolphin
  4. hector’s dolphin
  5. dusky dolphin
  6. short beaked common dolphin
  7. atlantic spotted dolphin
  8. orca
  9. clymene dolphin (short snouted spinner dolphin)
  10. fraser’s dolphin
  11. paele’s dolphin
  12. southern right whale dolphin
  13. indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin
  14. false killer whale
  15. atlantic white-sided dolphin
  16. atlantic humpback dolphin
  17. long-beaked common dolphin
  18. long-finned pilot whale
  19. melon headed whale
  20. pygmy killer whale
  21. northern right whale dolphin
  22. pacific white sided dolphin
  23. risso’s dolphin
  24. rough toothed dolphin
  25. short beaked common dolphin
  26. short finned pilot whale
  27. spinner dolphin
  28. striped dolphin
  29. taiwanese humpback dolphin
  30. white beaked dolphin
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11
Q

smallest species of dolphin

A

hector’s dolphin

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12
Q

what is the average size of the world’s smallest dolphin (hector’s)

A

4-5 feet

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13
Q

where is the largest concentration of bottlenose dolphins found

A

gulf of mexico

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14
Q

global population of bottlenose dolphins

A

600,00

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15
Q

where are bottlenose dolphins found

A
  • Along the West Coast off California, Oregon, and Washington, in the Hawaiian islands, along the East Coast from Massachusetts to Florida, throughout the Gulf of Mexico, and in the Caribbean
  • Temperate and tropical waters around the world
  • Inhabit a wide variety of habitats, including harbors, bays, gulfs, and estuaries, as well as nearshore coastal waters, deeper waters over the continental shelf, and even far offshore in the open ocean
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16
Q

do bottlenose dolphins present sexual dimorphism

A

no

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17
Q

differences between male and female bottlenose genitalia

A

males: exclamation point, internal examination of male will allow for you to only slide finger backward
females: divide, internal examination will allow for you to slide finger forward

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18
Q

describe genitalia of female cetaceans

A

vagina and anus are both contained within one external genital slit with mammary slits flanking the genital slit forming a division symbol

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19
Q

average length/weight of adult bottlenose dolphin

A

7 to 9 feet (some reach 13 feet) and 400 to 600 pounds (some reach 1,300 pounds)

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20
Q

lifespan of bottlenose dolphin

A

about 40 years (some [females mainly] live up to 60 years)

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21
Q

when do bottlenose dolphins reach sexual maturity

A

females: 5 to 10 years
males: 8 to 13 years

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22
Q

gestation period of bottlenoses

A

12 months

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23
Q

how often do female bottlenoses produce a calf

A

every 3 to 6 years

24
Q

how often do female bottlenoses ovulate

A

up to 7 times per year and the ovulation cycle can last up to a month

25
Q

fission-fusion of bottlenose dolphin pods

A

group composition of bottlenose pods changes; individuals associate in groups dynamically. They merge or split within the same aggregation several times per day.

26
Q

average size of dolphin pod

A

2 to 15 individuals but super pods have been observed with over 100 (sometimes 1,000) dolphins

27
Q

superpods are common amongst which species

A

orcas, bottlenoses, and risso’s dolphin

28
Q

how many sets of teeth do dolphins possess

A

one set (monophydont)

29
Q

how many teeth do bottlenose dolphins have

A

86 to 100 teeth

30
Q

which dolphin species has the most teeth

A

long beaked common dolphin (240 teeth)

31
Q

which dolphin species has the fewest teeth

A

risso’s dolphin (4 to 14 teeth)

32
Q

how many teeth do orcas possess

A

40 to 56 teeth

33
Q

why do dolphins possess a gap between their teeth at the front of their mouths

A

allows the baby to latch on to the mother’s nipple without biting her

34
Q

average thickness of dolphin blubber

A

3/4 inches to 1 1/4 inches thick
(thickness related to type of environment)

35
Q

what is blubber

A

modified third layer of hypodermis

36
Q

how many layers of skin do dolphins possess

A

3 layers

37
Q

list the 3 layers of dolphin skin

A

epidermis (top layer), dermis (middle layer), hypodermis (bottom layer)

38
Q

how thick is the epidermis of dolphins compared to land mammals

A

ten times thicker

39
Q

how often does the epidermis of a dolphin shed/slough off

A

every two to four hours (keeps the dolphin streamlined and moist)

40
Q

mammal classification

A

hair or fur, warm blooded, live birth, milk fed via mother’s mammary glands, well developed brain

41
Q

how are dolphins classified as mammals

A

dolphins possess one quarter inch long whiskers on their rostrum that will fall out shortly after birth as a result of the water pressure

42
Q

which cetaceans retain their whiskers after birth

A

some great whales and one type of river dolphin

43
Q

are bottlenose dolphins endangered

A

No

44
Q

how far can dolphins see above water

A

between 12 to 18 feet

45
Q

how well can dolphins see underwater

A

about 9 feet

46
Q

how do dolphins possess “night vision”

A

blue/green tissue called the tapetum lucidum
gathers all available light and reflects it back through the lens allowing for better vision
dogs and cats possess this as well

47
Q

do dolphins possess a nictating membrane

A

no, they possess external upper and lower eyelids

48
Q

which possess larger bone surface and subsequently more extensive muscle: odontocetes or mysticetes

A

odontocetes as they require larger muscle mass for hunting prey

49
Q

how many beats per minute occur when a dolphin is diving

A

drops to about 12 beats per minute to conserve oxygen

50
Q

how many beats per minute occur when a dolphin is surfacing

A

rises to about 100 to 120 beats per minute

51
Q

how long can a dolphin hold its breath for

A

10 minutes is average (bottlenoses have been recorded at 20 minutes)
deep diving offshore species such as risso’s dolphin can hold its breath for 30 minutes

52
Q

what causes offshore dolphin species to have darker muscle color

A

increased myoglobin due to deep diving and increased need for oxygen

53
Q

how is the increase in BPM in dolphins managed when they surface

A

retia mirabilia (tissue containing dense mass of blood vessels that controls the flow of blood to the dolphin’s brain)

54
Q

why is there a range when sexual maturity occurs in bottlenose dolphins

A

exact age varies between populations

55
Q

how long do bottlenose calves nurse off mother

A

20 months

Marine Mammals (5 decks)

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