Common Dolphin

Delphinus delphinus

Common Dolphin

“ There's no question dolphins are smarter than humans as they play more. ”

– Albert Einstein

Scientific Taxonomy & Character Information

Domain: Eukaryota

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Clade: Synapsida

Class: Mammalia

Order: Artiodactyla

Infraorder: Cetacea

Family: Delphinidae

Genius: Delphinus

Species: Delphinus delphinus

Descendant: dolphins

Named by: Carl Linnaeus

Year Published: 1758

Size: 1.9 and 2.5 m (6.2 and 8.2 ft) long in length and height; 80–150 kg (180–330 lb) in weight

Lifespan: 35+ years

Type: 

Title: 

Pantheon: Terran/Gaian

Time Period: Holocene

Alignment: Neutral

Threat Level: ★★★★★★

Diet: Carnivorous 🥩🐟🥓🧽

Elements: Water, sound

Inflicts: Watereblight, soundblight, echolocated

Weaknesses: Leaf, electric, ice, sound

Casualties: ???

Based On: itself

Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC) - IUCN Red List 

Short-Beaked Common Dolphin or simply known as Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphinus) is a species of common dolphin. It has a larger range than the long-beaked common dolphin, occurring throughout warm-temperate and tropical oceans, including the Indian Ocean, although in smaller numbers than other places they are found.

Etymology

The name is originally from Greek δελφίς (delphís), "dolphin", which was related to the Greek δελφύς (delphus), "womb". The animal's name can therefore be interpreted as meaning "a 'fish' with a womb". The name was transmitted via the Latin delphinus (the romanization of the later Greek δελφῖνος – delphinos), which in Medieval Latin became dolfinus and in Old French daulphin, which reintroduced the ph into the word "Dolphin". The term mereswine (that is, "sea pig") has also historically been used.

Physical Appearance

Common dolphins are medium-sized dolphins and sexual dimorphism, males are generally longer and heavier than females. A dark gray cape extends along the back from the head to just below the dorsal fin where a "V" is visible on either side of the body, creating an hourglass image. Forward of the dorsal fin, behind the head, is a yellow/tan panel that contrasts with the dark cape on their back.


The side of the body behind the dorsal fin is light gray, and a narrow, dark stripe extends from the lower jaw to the flipper, which includes a complex facial color pattern. The eye is not typically within the stripe, but still stands out due to a patch of dark pigment around the eye and brown colored eyes. They have long, thin rostra with up to 50–60 small, sharp, interlocking teeth on each side of each jaw.

Abilities

The dolphin ear has specific adaptations to the marine environment. In humans, the middle ear works as an impedance equalizer between the outside air's low impedance and the cochlear fluid's high impedance. The olfactory lobes and nerves are absent in dolphins, suggesting that they have no sense of smell. Rather than smell, they are not thought to have a good sense of taste, as their taste buds are atrophied or missing altogether. Dolphins send out high frequency clicks from an organ known as a melon.


This melon consists of fat, and the skull of any such creature containing a melon will have a large depression. This allows dolphins to produce biosonar for orientation. Beyond locating an object, echolocation also provides the animal with an idea on an object's shape and size, though how exactly this works is not yet understood.

Weakness

Dolphins don't suffocate outside of water; they breathe air like all mammals, although they can die of dehydration out of water.

Ecology

Dolphins have few marine enemies. Some species or specific populations have none, making them apex predators. For most of the smaller species of dolphins, only a few of the larger sharks, such as the bull shark, dusky shark, tiger shark and great white shark, are a potential risk, especially for calves. The common dolphin is probably the most abundant cetacean species on the planet, and the overall species is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that it is in no danger of extinction. Abundance has been estimated for most major portions of the species range in the Northern Hemisphere, but only for a few places in the Southern Hemisphere.


Common dolphins can live in aggregations of hundreds or even thousands of dolphins. Unlike many delphinids, common dolphins do not live in a matriarchal society. That being said, closely related individuals are usually found in similar geographical locations fairly consistently, providing evidence that this species displays site fidelity.

Behavior

Dolphins are lured by dropped items that are inside nearby water blocks, knocking them around and chasing them. If the dolphin can not find a path to a dropped item, the dolphin may stay underwater to the point of drowning. Should the survivor or another creature hit a dolphin, the whole pod retaliates, attacking all at once similar to other sociable animals.

Distribution and Habitat

Common dolphins live in both warm-temperate and tropical waters ranging from 40–60°N to 50°S. Long-beaked common dolphins mostly inhabit shallow, warm coastal water. Common dolphins are a widely distributed species. They can be found around the world in both offshore and coastal waters. Overall, this species is still abundant worldwide, except for a few specific populations.


Tamed

You cannot tame most dolphin species, except for common dolphin, orca, tucuxi, spotted dolphin, Commerson's dolphin, and bottlenose dolphin. Dolphins can be fed raw cod or pulled along with a lead that are tamed non-violently, rather than through a cordial and curious creature, it will slowly approach any survivor that is within radius. To tame it, you need to pet the creature twice, then feed it with fish or lobster meat.

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