
Photo: NOAA Photo Library · Public Domain
Stenella attenuata
Diet
Small fish, squid and crustaceans
Habitat
Tropical and subtropical offshore waters, with some coastal populations
Range
Tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide
Size
Approximately 1.6–2.6m
Weight
Approximately 90–120kg
The pantropical spotted dolphin is a slender dolphin whose spotting increases with age: calves are largely unspotted, while mature animals develop dark marks below and pale spots across the darker back. It has a long beak with a contrasting pale tip. The species is distributed through tropical and subtropical seas worldwide, in both oceanic and some coastal populations. (Wikipedia, general species account)
It eats small fish, squid and crustaceans, frequently feeding at night as prey rises toward the surface. Pantropical spotted dolphins form active social schools, bow-ride readily and may associate with spinner dolphins or tuna in parts of the Pacific. (Wikipedia, general species account)