Delphinidae - dolphins, killer whales, pilot whales

There are 36 species in this family. Delphinids have a torpedo-shaped body; a long beak-like snout; cone-shaped teeth; a blow hole; and a bulging forehead. The bulge in their forehead is cause by the melon. The melon is a fatty bulge between the dolphin's skull and blow hole that is used for echolocation. Most species also have a curved dorsal fin.

Delphinids are found in all of the world's oceans and some species are found in rivers. They are usually found in shallow water. Most species live in large groups called pods. Delphinids are fast and agile swimmers. Delphinids use echolocation to locate prey like fish and squid. Killer whales also eat seals and penguins.

World Status Key
Least Concern Near Threatened Vulnerable Endangered
Critically Endangered Extinct in the Wild Extinct
Status taken from ICUN Redlist. If no status is listed, there is not enough data to establish status, or there is no status data for the species.

US Status Key
Threatened in US Threatened in NH Endangered in US Endangered in NH Breeds in NH Introduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife and NH Fish and Game

New Hampshire Species		North/Central American Species
Short-beaked Saddleback Dolphin - Delphinus delphis		Killer Whale - Orcinus orca Melon-headed Whale - Peponocephala electra False Killer Whale - Pseudorca crassidens Guiana Dolphin - Sotalia guianensis Pantropical Spotted Dolphin - Stenella attenuata Clymene Dolphin - Stenella clymene Striped Dolphin - Stenella coeruleoalba Atlantic Spotted Dolphin - Stenella frontalis Spinner Dolphin - Stenella longirostris Rough-toothed Dolphin - Steno bredanensis Common Bottlenose Dolphin - Tursiops truncatus
North/Central American Species
Long-beaked Common Dolphin - Delphinus capensis Pygmy Killer Whale - Feresa attenuata Short-finned Pilot Whale - Globicephala macrorhynchus Long-finned Pilot Whale - Globicephala melas Risso's Dolphin - Grampus griseus Fraser's Dolphin - Lagenodelphis hosei Atlantic White-sided Dolphin - Lagenorhynchus acutus White-beaked Dolphin - Lagenorhynchus albirostris Pacific White-sided Dolphin - Lagenorhynchus obliquidens Northern Right Whale Dolphin - Lissodelphis borealis

Species Around the World
Location Key Africa Antarctic Region Asia Australia/Oceania Europe North America South America NH Arctic Ocean Atlantic Ocean Indian Ocean Mediterranean/Black Sea Pacific Ocean
Commerson's Dolphin - Cephalorhynchus commersonii   Chilean Dolphin - Cephalorhynchus eutropia Heaviside's Dolphin - Cephalorhynchus heavisidii   Hector's Dolphin - Cephalorhynchus hectori Long-beaked Common Dolphin - Delphinus capensis Short-beaked Saddleback Dolphin - Delphinus delphis Pygmy Killer Whale - Feresa attenuata Short-finned Pilot Whale - Globicephala macrorhynchus Long-finned Pilot Whale - Globicephala melas Risso's Dolphin - Grampus griseus Fraser's Dolphin - Lagenodelphis hosei Atlantic White-sided Dolphin - Lagenorhynchus acutus White-beaked Dolphin - Lagenorhynchus albirostris   Peale's Dolphin - Lagenorhynchus australis Hourglass Dolphin - Lagenorhynchus cruciger Pacific White-sided Dolphin - Lagenorhynchus obliquidens   Dusky Dolphin - Lagenorhynchus obscurus Northern Right Whale Dolphin - Lissodelphis borealis Southern Right Whale Dolphin - Lissodelphis peronii Irrawaddy Dolphin - Orcaella brevirostris Australian Snubfin Dolphin - Orcaella heinsohni   Killer Whale - Orcinus orca Melon-headed Whale - Peponocephala electra False Killer Whale - Pseudorca crassidens Tucuxi - Sotalia fluviatilis Guiana Dolphin - Sotalia guianensis   Indo-pacific Hump-backed Dolphin - Sousa chinensis Atlantic Humpbacked Dolphin - Sousa teuszii Pantropical Spotted Dolphin - Stenella attenuata Clymene Dolphin - Stenella clymene Striped Dolphin - Stenella coeruleoalba Atlantic Spotted Dolphin - Stenella frontalis Spinner Dolphin - Stenella longirostris Rough-toothed Dolphin - Steno bredanensis Indo-pacific Bottlenose Dolphin - Tursiops aduncus Common Bottlenose Dolphin - Tursiops truncatus