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Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoise

Mammals

The Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) is a small porpoise of the coastal waters of Asia. Its range covers most of the Indian Ocean, including the western coast of India and the Persian Gulf, and the tropical and subtropical Pacific from Indonesia north to the Taiwan Strait, where it overlaps with the East Asian finless porpoise. It has no dorsal fin. Adults are typically a uniform light grey, and the largest reported reach about 2.27 metres, though most are smaller. Finless porpoises are opportunistic feeders that eat fish, shrimp, squid and other crustaceans, and they swim just beneath the surface, rolling to one side to breathe, so they are easily overlooked. Because the species stays in coastal waters it often meets people, and entanglement in gill nets and environmental degradation are the main dangers. A comparison of surveys from the late 1970s and from 1999 to 2000 shows a decline in population and distribution.

Facts
Classification
Diet
Carnivore 1
Population Trend
Decreasing 2
System (Realm)
Marine and Freshwater 1
Threats
Biological Resource Use 1
Threats
Pollution 1
Relationship to People
Hunted or Fished 1
Living or Extinct
Yes 2
Conservation Status
Vulnerable 1
Body Size Band
Large 4
Activity Pattern
Diurnal 4
Activity Pattern
Nocturnal 4
Activity Pattern
Crepuscular 4
Lifespan
33 5
Comparison
CITES Appendix
Appendix I 3
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Phocoenidae, Taxa
Source Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Wikipedia)

In Biome

Estuary, Biomes
Source Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Wikipedia)
Marine, Biomes
Source Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Wikipedia)

In Ecosystem

Sundarbans, Ecosystems
Source Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Bangladesh

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Wikipedia)Distribution
Quote, Distribution
The Indo-Pacific finless porpoise lives in the coastal waters of Asia, especially around Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and Bangladesh.
Bay of Bengal

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Wikipedia)Distribution
Quote, Distribution
The Indo-Pacific finless porpoise lives in the coastal waters of Asia, especially around Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and Bangladesh.
India

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Wikipedia)Distribution
Quote, Distribution
The Indo-Pacific finless porpoise lives in the coastal waters of Asia, especially around Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and Bangladesh.
Indonesia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Wikipedia)Distribution
Quote, Distribution
The Indo-Pacific finless porpoise lives in the coastal waters of Asia, especially around Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and Bangladesh.
Malaysia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Wikipedia)Distribution
Quote, Distribution
The Indo-Pacific finless porpoise lives in the coastal waters of Asia, especially around Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and Bangladesh.
Pakistan

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Wikipedia)Conservation, where it lives
Quote, Conservation, where it lives
Along the southern coast of Pakistan in the Arabian Sea it is declared as an endangered species.
Sundarbans

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Wikipedia)Distribution, where it lives
Quote, Distribution, where it lives
Finless porpoises are also one of the species protected at Sundarbans National Park.
Taiwan Strait

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Wikipedia)Lead, where it lives
Quote, Lead, where it lives
The species ranges throughout most of the Indian Ocean, as well as the tropical and subtropical Pacific from Indonesia north to the Taiwan Strait.
The Indian Ocean

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Wikipedia)Lead, where it lives
Quote, Lead, where it lives
The species ranges throughout most of the Indian Ocean, as well as the tropical and subtropical Pacific from Indonesia north to the Taiwan Strait.
The Pacific Ocean

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Wikipedia)Lead, where it lives
Quote, Lead, where it lives
The species ranges throughout most of the Indian Ocean, as well as the tropical and subtropical Pacific from Indonesia north to the Taiwan Strait.
Sources
1. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Neophocaena phocaenoides (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
  • Conservation Status
    IUCN Red List Vulnerable
  • Food Habits
    cephalopods such as squid, and small demersal fish.
  • Habitat
    lives in both fresh and salt water habitats.
  • Conservation Status, threats
    pollution as well as bottom dredging.
  • Conservation Status, threats (2)
    boat collisions, hunters, fish and shrimp nets, and its natural predator, the shark.
  • Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
    is hunted by humans for its meat, skin and oil
View the Source
2. Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Wikipedia)
  • Lead
    The Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) is one of eight porpoise species.
  • Conservation
    shows a decline in population and distribution.
  • Lead, where it lives
    The species ranges throughout most of the Indian Ocean, as well as the tropical and subtropical Pacific from Indonesia north to the Taiwan Strait.
  • Distribution
    The Indo-Pacific finless porpoise lives in the coastal waters of Asia, especially around Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and Bangladesh.
  • Conservation, where it lives
    Along the southern coast of Pakistan in the Arabian Sea it is declared as an endangered species.
  • Distribution, where it lives
    Finless porpoises are also one of the species protected at Sundarbans National Park.
  • In Biome: Estuary, Diet
    when living in estuaries, mangroves, and rivers
View the Source
3. SeaLifeBase: Neophocaena phocaenoides (SeaLifeBase)
SeaLifeBaseCITES status
Quote, CITES status
Appendix I: International trade banned
View the Source
4. Ecological Archives E095-178 (Wilman et al. 2014): EltonTraits 1.0 mammal diet data
Ecological Archives E095-178 (Wilman et al. 2014)
  • MamFuncDat.txt, row Neophocaena phocaenoides, Activity columns (Nocturnal 1, Crepuscular 1, Diurnal 1)
    Neophocaena phocaenoides Phocoenidae 40 0 0 60 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ref_1 ABC M A 1 1 1 Ref_3 D2 32500
  • MamFuncDat.txt, row Neophocaena phocaenoides, BodyMass-Value column (grams)
    Neophocaena phocaenoides Phocoenidae 40 0 0 60 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ref_1 ABC M A 1 1 1 Ref_3 D2 32500
View the Source
5. Human Ageing Genomic Resources, University of Liverpool: AnAge entry for Neophocaena phocaenoides
Human Ageing Genomic Resources, University of LiverpoolLifespan, Maximum longevity
Quote, Lifespan, Maximum longevity
33 years (captivity)
View the Source
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