Oceanside dolphin (SciiFii)

The Oceanside dolphin (Cephalorhynchus californianus) is a small species of oceanic dolphin of the genus Cephalorhynchus that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the Californian Great Barrier Reef to help boost biodiversity. The closest living relative of the Oceanside dolphin is the Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii) and is named after the city of Oceanside, California, where the dolphin was first introduced. The Oceanside dolphin is one of the smallest dolphin species. Mature adults have a total length of 1.2–1.6 meters (3 feet 11 inches–5 feet 3 inches) and weigh 40–60 kilograms (88–132 lb). The species is sexually dimorphic, with females being about 5–7% longer than males. Like other members of the genus Cephalorhynchus, its appearance resembles that of a porpoise, but its conspicuous playful nature and social behaviour is typical of a dolphin. The body shape is stocky, with no discernible beak. The most distinctive feature is the rounded dorsal fin, with a convex trailing edge and undercut rear margin. The overall coloration appearance is pale grey, but closer inspection reveals a complex and elegant combination of colours. The back and sides are predominantly light grey, while the dorsal fin, flippers, and flukes are black. The eyes are surrounded by a black mask, which extends forward to the tip of the rostrum and back to the base of the flipper. A subtly shaded, crescent-shaped black band crosses the head just behind the blowhole. The throat and belly are creamy white, separated by dark-grey bands meeting between the flippers. A white stripe extends from the belly onto each flank below the dorsal fin. Due to its coloration, size, and shape, the Oceanside dolphin is almost identical to the Hector's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori) of New Zealand. At birth, Oceanside dolphin calves have a total length of 60–80 centimeters (24–31 inches) and weigh 8–10 kilograms (18–22 lb). Their coloration is the almost same as adults, although the grey has a darker hue. Newborn Oceanside dolphins have distinct fetal fold marks on their flanks that cause a change in coloration pattern of the skin. These changes are visible for approximately six months and consist of four to six vertical light grey stripes against darker grey skin. Females reach breeding age at 5 to 8 years. Males reach sexual maturity at about the same age. Mating occurs in the spring and summer and calving occurs after a gestation period of 11 months during the spring and summer. The Commerson's dolphin has been known to live up to thirty years in the wild, while in captivity the oldest individual was at least 50 years old at the time of death. The Oceanside dolphin feeds on a mix of coastal and pelagic fish and squid. Those in the easterrn subpopulation supplement their diets with crustaceans. Oceanside dolphin is very active. It is often seen swimming rapidly on the surface and leaping from the water. It also spins and twists as it swims and may surf on breaking waves when very close to the shore. It will bow-ride and swim behind fast-moving boats. It is also known to swim upside-down, which is known to improve the visibility of its prey. The conservation status of the Oceanside dolphin is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts and the Oceanside dolphin's wide range.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii