(DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species dolphin, spotted
Species Id M120025
Date 26 AUG 96
TAXONOMY
NAME - dolphin, spotted
OTHER COMMON NAMES - Atlantic spotted dolphin, spotter and spotted porpoise
ELEMENT CODE - 03/19/84
AOU CODE - 04/29/85
CATEGORY - Marine Mammals
PHYLUM AND SUBPHYLUM - Chordata,
CLASS AND SUBCLASS - Mammalia, Theria
ORDER AND SUBORDER - Cetacea, Odontoceti
FAMILY AND SUBFAMILY - Delphinidae,
GENUS AND SUBGENUS - Stenella,
SPECIES AND SSP - plagiodon,
SCIENTIFIC NAME - Stenella plagiodon
AUTHORITY - Cope 1866
TAXONOMY REFERENCES - 1043
COMMENTS ON TAXONOMY -
Other common names: Atlantic spotted dolphin, spotted
porpoise, spotter *1043*
Taxonomy - 1 (DRAFT) - Status
Species dolphin, spotted
Species Id M120025
Date 26 AUG 96
STATUS
Coded Status
Marine Mammal
REFERENCES FOR STATUS - 1029
Status - 1 (DRAFT) - Distribution
Species dolphin, spotted
Species Id M120025
Date 26 AUG 96
DISTRIBUTION
References on County Occurrence - AO1
References on County Abundance - AO1
REFERENCES FOR HYDROLOGIC UNIT CODES - AO1
REFERENCES FOR OTHER DISTRIBUTION - G
Distribution - 1 HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS
HABITAT - Aquatic
REFERENCES FOR HABITAT - 1033
LAND USE -
Water
Atlantic Ocean Coastal Waters
REFERENCES FOR LAND USE - 1043, 1033 and 2095
NATIONAL WETLAND INVENTORY CODES
NWI NWICLS NWIMOD NWISPEC
Marine, subtidal OW0
REFERENCES FOR NWI - 1043, 1037 and 2095
Habitat Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Food Habits
Species dolphin, spotted
Species Id M120025
Date 26 AUG 96
FOOD HABITS
TROPHIC LEVEL -
Carnivore
REFERENCES FOR TROPHIC LEVEL - 1043, 1033 and 2095
LIFESTAGE FOOD FOOD PART
General Animals Adult stage
General Molluscs Adult stage
General Squid, Octopus Adult stage
General Osteichthyes Adult stage
General Clupeiformes Adult stage
General Pleuronectiformes Adult stage
General See Comments; Food See Comments
Important Animals Adult stage
Important Molluscs Adult stage
Important Squid, Octopus Adult stage
REFERENCES FOR GENERAL FOOD - 1043 and 2095
REFERENCES FOR IMPORTANT FOOD - 1043
COMMENTS ON FOOD -
9999S=also eats: Engraulidae, Caranx, Decapterus, Selar,
Dorytheuthis plei, Syacium micrucum, Eucinostomus goula *1043*
Food Habits - 1 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species dolphin, spotted
Species Id M120025
Date 26 AUG 96
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G = General A = Adult
LIM = Limiting RA = Resting Adult
J = Juvenile FA = Feeding Adult
RJ = Resting Juvenile BA = Breeding Adult
FJ = Feeding Juvenile P = Pupae
L = Larvae E = Egg
RL = Resting Larvae
FL = Feeding Larvae
LIFESTAGE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G Aquatic Habitat Zonation: Open water [pelagic zone]
G Water Depth Preference: Specified in Comments
LIM Aquatic Habitat Zonation: Open water [pelagic zone]
LIM Water Depth Preference: Specified in Comments
REFERENCES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 1043 and 2095
REFERENCES FOR LIMITING ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 1043 and 2095
COMMENTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS -
00290S=prefers deep offshore waters, depth=5 fathoms (9.15
m) or more: 5 miles (8.04 km) or more offshore *1043,2095*
Environment Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species dolphin, spotted
Species Id M120025
Date 26 AUG 96
LIFE HISTORY
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: length=7.5-8 feet (2.3-2.4 m); dorsal
fin is small, pointed and curved back; blue-gray above and light gray
below; body is covered with white and gray spots; dental formula is
34-37/34-37; 68-69 vertebrae *1043,1037*; REPRODUCTION: unknown *1043*;
BEHAVIOR: birth occurs offshore and young are only brought close to
shore after weaning; gregarious; feeding on small fish occurs in the
epipelagic zone; have been seen following trawlers for trash fish; moves
inshore in late spring *1043,1037,1048,1033*; ORIGIN: native
*1043,1037*
REFERENCES FOR LIFE HISTORY- 1043, 1037, 1048 and 1033
Life History - 1 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species dolphin, spotted
Species Id M120025
Date 26 AUG 96
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
RESULT MANAGEMENT PRACTICE
Beneficial Regulating harvest of species being described
Beneficial Prohibiting harvest of species being described
Beneficial Public education - publicity
Beneficial Public education - law enforcement
Existing Regulating harvest of species being described
Existing Prohibiting harvest of species being described
Existing Public education - publicity
Existing Public education - law enforcement
Existing Other management practices [specified in comments]
REFERENCES FOR BENEFICIAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES - 1048
REFERENCES FOR EXISTING MANAGEMENT PRACTICES - 1048
COMMENTS ON MANAGEMENT PRACTICES -
999(E)=permits are issued by U.S.D.C.. to allow for incidental
take in tuna purse seine fishing *1048*
Management Practices - 1 (DRAFT) - References
Species dolphin, spotted
Species Id M120025
Date 26 AUG 96
References
1029* (ed.). Checklist of Virginia marine mammals. Virginia
Assoc. Res. Campus 12.
1033* Gunderson, H.L. 1976. Mammalogy. McGraw-Hill Inc. New
York, N.Y:117-120.
1037* Nishiwaki, M. 1972. General biology. Mammals of the Sea:
Biology and Medicine Ridgeway, S. H. Charles C. Thomas Publ.
Springfield, Ill:3-204.
1043* Schmidly, D.J. 1981. Marine mammals of the southeastern
United States and the Gulf of Mexico. (41). U.S. Fish and Wildl.
Serv., Off. Biol. Serv. Washington, D.C:163.
1048* Serv., National Marine Fisheries. 1981. Marine mammal
protection act of 1972. Annual report.. U.S. Dep. Comm., Natl.
Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin. Washington, D.C:143.
2095* Walker, E.P. 1975. MAMMALS OF THE WORLD. The Johns Hopkins
Press Baltimore.
References - 1