Home > Marine > Marine Mammals > Stenella longirostris

Family Delphinidae

HAWAII

Stenella longirostris longirostris

Midway Lagoon, 30 feet

Kewalo, Oahu

HAWAIIAN SPINNER DOLPHIN     nai‘a

Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins form large resident pods that rest in quiet sandy bays during the day, moving into open water at night to feed upon squid, shrimp, and small fish.  Noted for their spinning acrobatics which is believed to be a form of communication.  Easily identified by the long narrow rostrum, triangular dorsal fin.  The Hawaiian subpopulation is genetically separate from other groups, with a unique tri-color pattern of dark gray, light gray, and pinkish-white below.  Swimming with dolphins is illegal and potentially unsafe.  Attains length of 6 feet and weight of 200 pounds.  The species occurs throughout warm water of the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Ocean.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinner_Dolphin

http://www.wilddolphin.org/index.html