Eastern Spinner Dolphins
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The Spinner dolphin is a small cetacean with a
slim build. Adults are typically 129–235 cm and reach a body mass of
23–79 kg.[3] This species has an elongated rostrum and a triangular or
sub-triangular dorsal fin.
Spinner dolphins generally have mixed color
patterns. The dorsal area is dark gray, the sides light gray, and the
underside pale gray or white. There is also a dark band that runs from
the eye to the flipper, bordered above by a thin light line. Some
populations of spinner dolphin found in the eastern Pacific have bizarre
backwards facing dorsal fins, and males with strange humps and upturned
caudal flukes.
Spinner dolphins are well known for their
acrobatics and aerial behaviors. A spinner dolphin comes out of the
water, front first, and twists its body as it ascends in the air. After
it reaches its maximum height the dolphin descends back into the water,
landing on its side. A dolphin can make 2-5.5 spins in one leap. The
swimming and rotational speed of the dolphin spinning underwater seems
to affect the number of spins it can do whilst airborne. Dolphins may
also make nose-outs, tail slaps, flips, head slap, "salmon leaps" and
side and back slaps.
They are often seen around Cabo in large mixed pods with other dolphin species.