Indian Ocean humpback dolphin
The Indian Ocean humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea) is a member of the Delphinidae family occupying coastal areas ranging from the warm waters of the Oman Sea (Indian Ocean).
Distribution and habitat
Sousa plumbea ranges from Southern Africa to Western Indochina, including coastal areas along East Africa, the Middle East and India (Arabian Sea). This species does not exhibit large migratory behavior.[1] This species has been reported to inhabit a variety of different coastal habitats, including both soft sediment (e.g. sand and sea grass) and hard sediment (e.g. rock and coral) marine habitats as well as estuarine habitats (e.g. lagoons, bays, rivers, and mangrove channels). Preference and prominence of any given habitat type is highly dependent on the geographical location of any given Indian Ocean humpbacked dolphin population.[1]
Sociality
There is very little scientific evidence to support significant inter-species interactions and groupings, although rare observations have noted interactions (both friendly and aggressive) with the sympatric Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, snubfin dolphin, long-snouted spinner dolphin and Black finless porpoise.[2][3]
Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin Media
Dorsal fin on an Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin
Pattern observed on the dorsal fin of Indian Humpback Dolphins
Profile of the Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin as visible on the surface
Blowhole of an Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin visible on the surface
Beak of an Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin visible above the surface
A Pod of Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphins
Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin lunging out of water
- Indian Humpback Dolphin, Kerala, IN imported from iNaturalist photo 352515146.jpg
Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin surfacing
- Indian Humpback Dolphin, Kerala, IN imported from iNaturalist photo 455250041.jpg
Tail-walking exhibited by Indian Ocean Humpback dolphin
- Indian Humpback Dolphin, Kerala, IN imported from iNaturalist photo 368125482.jpg
Carcass of Indian Humpback Dolphin washed ashore Kerala coast
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers at line 630: attempt to index field 'known_free_doi_registrants_t' (a nil value).
- ↑ Carwardine, Mark (1995). Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises: The Visual Guide to All the World's Cetaceans. DK Publishing. pp. 174–175. ISBN 978-1564586209.
- ↑ Wells, R.; Scott, M. (2002). "Humpback Dolphins". In Para, G.J.; Ross, G.J.B (eds.). Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals. Academic Press. pp. 576–581. ISBN 978-0-12-551340-1.