Long-Beaked Common Dolphin Skull Replica

Description

Long-Beaked Common Dolphin Skull Replica measures 18.5L x 9.4W x 7.7H in. Long-Beaked common dolphin skull replica is museum-quality polyurethane resin cast from California Academy of Sciences speciman. 2-part skull (separate cranium and mandible). 1:1 scale. Made in USA.

Long-Beaked common dolphin or Delphinus capensis is native to various tropical and subtropical coasts throughout the worlds oceans.

Long-Beaked common dolphin feed on schooling fish such as anchovies, sardines and pilchards. This species is very similar to the short-beaked common dolphin and was once considered to be the same species.

Long-Beaked common dolphin is medium-sized, but smaller than the more popular bottlenose dolphin. Adults range between 6.2 and 8.2 ft., long, and can weigh between 176 and 518 lb.

Males are generally longer and heavier. The back is dark and the belly is white, while on each side is an hourglass pattern colored light grey, yellow or gold in front and dirty grey in back.

Long-Beaked common dolphin also has a rounded melon on the tops of their heads used for echolocation. Delphinus capensis has a long, thin rostrum with up to 60 small, sharp, interlocking teeth on each side of each jaw.

The Long-Beaked common dolphin can live in aggregations of hundreds or even thousands. Within these large groups, smaller subgroups of 10 to 30, related in either sex or age, typically are found. They sometimes associate with other dolphin species, such as pilot whales.

Long-Beaked common dolphins have also been observed bow riding on baleen whales wakes, and they also bow ride on boats. Delphinus capensis breaching behavior and aerial acrobatics are common with this species.

Long-Beaked common dolphins have a varied diet consisting of small schooling fish, such as sardines, anchovies, mackerels, pilchards, mullet, drum or croaker.

Long Beaked common dolphins gather in huge superpods and because of this there is seldom enough food in one place to support all of them. Consequently, smaller groups leave the main pod for a few hours to feed.

Delphinus capensis are able to dive in the water to about 900 ft. and hold their breath for up to 8 minutes to catch prey.

Scientific Classification:

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Artiodactyla
• Family: Delphinidae
• Genus: Delphinus
• Species: D. capensis
• Binomial name: Delphinus delphis Linnaeus, 1758
• Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN 3.1), CITES Appendix II

To examine the distinct differences in rostral length between common species, pair this specimen with the short-beaked common dolphin skull to contrast the wider cranial base and shorter beak of its oceanic relative.