Common dolphin

The common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) is the only living species in the genus Delphinus and one of the most numerous cetaceans in the world, with an estimated global population of about six million. Adults measure 1.9 to 2.5 meters in length and weigh 80 to 235 kilograms, with males generally larger than females, and are marked by a dark back, white belly and an hourglass pattern of grey, yellow or gold along each flank, with an elongated beak holding up to 50 to 60 small interlocking teeth per side. It ranges through warm temperate and tropical waters from about 40 to 60 degrees north to 50 degrees south, in both coastal and open ocean habitats including the northwest Atlantic, eastern Pacific, Mediterranean and Black Seas, and waters off Australia and New Zealand. The species feeds on schooling fish and squid, including mesopelagic and near-surface species, diving to depths of about 200 meters to hunt.