page_title: Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin / Description
caption_attribution_description: English: Pink dolphin, Sousa chinensis
context_page_description: The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin is a species of humpback dolphin inhabiting coastal waters of the eastern Indian and western Pacific Oceans. This species is often referred to the Chinese white dolphin in China, Taiwan and Singapore as a common name. Some biologists regard the Indo-Pacific dolphin as a subspecies of the Indian Ocean humpback dolphin which ranges from East Africa to India. However, DNA testing studies have shown that the two are distinct species. Additionally, a new species has just recently been split off from S. chinensis and recognized as a distinct species. Nevertheless, there are still several unresolved issues in differentiation of the Indian Ocean-type and Indo-Pacific-type humpback dolphins.
context_section_description: An adult Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin is grey, white or pink and may appear as an albino dolphin to some. Uniquely, the population along the Chinese coast has pink skin, and the pink colour originates not from a pigment, but from blood vessels which were overdeveloped for thermoregulation. The body length is 2 to 3.5 m (6 ft 7 in to 11 ft 6 in) for adults 1 m (3 ft 3 in) for infants. An adult weighs 150 to 230 kg (330 to 510 lb). Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins live up to 40 years, as determined by the analysis of their teeth.
  At birth, the dolphins are black. They change to grey, then pinkish with spots when young. Adults are grey, white or pink.
caption: Tail with visible grey and pink colours
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