Common Dolphin
(Delphinus capensis)Identification
Size
- to a maximum of 2.5 m
Colour
- unique criss-cross pattern of yellow, white, grey and black bands
- dorsal surface, beak and fins are black
Dorsal fin
- small, highly pointed and black
Group size / social behaviour
- social, usually in groups of 20-30 animals but may occur in large schools of hundreds or thousands
Other characteristics
- thin, pointed beak
Can be confused with
- Pacific white-sided dolphins – but yellow coloration and thin pointed beak are the biggest differences
Notes
- have only been seen a couple of times in B.C. waters, one individual was seen in Puget Sound in 2017.
- two species of common dolphins occur in the North Pacific Ocean: the long-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus capensis) and the short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis). These are very difficult to distinguish from each other in the wild.
