This article is about the genus of bottlenose dolphins. For the common species, see Common bottlenose dolphin.
Bottlenose dolphin
Temporal range: Miocene–Recent
3.6–0 Ma
PreꞒ
Ꞓ
O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
Pg
N
↓
[1]
Bottlenose dolphin surfing in the wake of a research boat
Size compared to an average human
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Artiodactyla
Infraorder:
Cetacea
Family:
Delphinidae
Subfamily:
Delphininae
Genus:
Tursiops Gervais, 1855
Type species
Delphinus truncatus
Montagu, 1821
Species
Tursiops truncatus Gray, 1866
Tursiops aduncus Ehrenberg, 1832
Tursiops erebennus Cope, 1865
†Tursiops astensis Sacco, 1891
†Tursiops brochii Balsamo-Crivelli, 1842
†Tursiops osennae Simonelli, 1911
Bottlenose dolphin range (in blue)
Bottlenose dolphins are toothed whales in the genus Tursiops. They are common, cosmopolitan members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins.[3] Molecular studies show the genus contains three species: the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus), and Tamanend's bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops erebennus).[4][5] Others, like the Burrunan dolphin (Tursiops (aduncus) australis), may be alternately considered their own species or be subspecies of T. aduncus.[6] Bottlenose dolphins inhabit warm and temperate seas worldwide, being found everywhere except for the Arctic and Antarctic Circle regions. Their name derives from the Latin tursio (dolphin) and truncatus for the truncated teeth (the type specimen was old and had worn down teeth; this is not a typical characteristic of most members of the species).[7]
Numerous investigations of bottlenose dolphin intelligence have been conducted, examining mimicry, use of artificial language, object categorization, and self-recognition. They can use tools (sponging; using marine sponges to forage for food sources they normally could not access)[8] and transmit cultural knowledge from generation to generation, and their considerable intelligence has driven interaction with humans. Bottlenose dolphins gained popularity from aquarium shows and television programs such as Flipper. They have also been trained by militaries to locate sea mines or detect and mark enemy divers. In some areas, they cooperate with local fishermen by driving fish into their nets and eating the fish that escape. Some encounters with humans are harmful to the dolphins: people hunt them for food, and dolphins are killed inadvertently as a bycatch of tuna fishing and by getting caught in crab traps.
Bottlenose dolphins have the third largest encephalization levels of any mammal on Earth (humans have the largest, followed by Northern Right whale dolphins), sharing close ratios with those of humans and other cetaceans, while being twice as high of other great apes.[9] This more than likely contributes to their high intelligence and emotional intelligence.[10]
^Wells, R.S.; Natoli, A.; Braulik, G. "IUCN Bottlenose Dolphin Status". IUCN Redlist. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
^Wells, R.; Scott, M. (2002). "Bottlenose Dolphins". In Perrin, W.; Wursig, B.; Thewissen, J (eds.). Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals. Academic Press. pp. 122–127. ISBN 978-0-12-551340-1.
^"Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Truncatus) - Dolphin Facts and Information". www.dolphins-world.com. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
^"List of Marine Mammal Species and Subspecies". MarineMammalScience.org. Society for Marine Mammalogy. June 2023.
^"Explore the Database". www.mammaldiversity.org. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
^Wells, R.S.; Scott, Michael (January 1, 2009). "Common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)". Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals. 6: 249–255. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-373553-9.00062-6.
^Krützen, M.; Kreicker, S.; MacLeod, C.D.; Learmonth, J.; Kopps, A.M.; Walsham, P.; Allen, S.J. (2014). "Cultural transmission of tool use by Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.) provides access to a novel foraging niche". Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 281 (1784): 1–9. doi:10.1098/rspb.2014.0374. PMC 4043097. PMID 24759862.
^Osvaldo, Cairo (October 4, 2011). "External Measures of Cognition". Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 5 (108): 108. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2011.00108. PMC 3207484. PMID 22065955. Table 1
^Marino, Lori (2004). "Cetacean Brain Evolution: Multiplication Generates Complexity" (PDF). International Society for Comparative Psychology (17). The International Society for Comparative Psychology: 1–16. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 10, 2011.
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oceanic dolphins. Molecular studies show the genus contains three species: the common bottlenosedolphin (Tursiops truncatus), the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin...
considered dolphins. The name dolphin is used casually as a synonym for bottlenosedolphin, the most common and familiar species of dolphin. There are...
vernacular name, the common dolphin is not thought of as the archetypal dolphin, with that distinction belonging to the bottlenosedolphin due to its popular appearances...
The Black Sea bottlenosedolphin (Tursiops truncatus ponticus) is a subspecies of the common bottlenosedolphin. Recent findings suggest that they differ...
Freeman. The book and film are inspired by the true story of Winter, a bottlenosedolphin that was rescued in December 2005 off the Florida coast and taken...
dolphins in the Bahamas have been observed mating with bottlenosedolphins. Rich LeDuc has published data that suggest the Atlantic spotted dolphin may...
include bottlenosedolphins, seals, sea lions, and beluga whales. The United States and Soviet militaries have trained and employed oceanic dolphins for various...
whistle of a male bottlenosedolphin tends to be similar to that of his mother, while the signature whistle of a female bottlenosedolphin tends to be more...
dolphin has an EQ of approximately 1.67; the Ganges river dolphin of 1.55; the orca of 2.57; the bottlenosedolphin of 4.14; and the tucuxi dolphin of...
ported to numerous systems. The story follows the eponymous Ecco, a bottlenosedolphin, who fights extraterrestrial threats to the world. The games are known...
to 50 members, and can also form pods with other dolphin species, such as the common bottlenosedolphin (Tursiops truncatus). It can form close bonds with...
humpbacks. In Chilika Lake, local fishers say when Irrawaddy dolphins and bottlenosedolphins meet in the outer channel, the former get frightened and are...
The northern bottlenose whale (Hyperoodon ampullatus) is a species of beaked whale in the ziphiid family, being one of two members of the genus Hyperoodon...
The BottlenoseDolphin Research Institute (BDRI) is a research and educational centre dedicated to the understanding and conservation of cetaceans and...
The Burrunan dolphin (Tursiops australis) is a proposed species of bottlenosedolphin found in parts of Victoria, Australia first described in 2011. Its...
(/ˈfʊŋɡi/), also known as the Dingle Dolphin, was a male common bottlenosedolphin. He became separated from other wild dolphins and lived in very close contact...
The southern bottlenose whale (Hyperoodon planifrons) is a species of whale, in the Ziphiid family, one of two members of the genus Hyperoodon. Seldom...
(portmanteau of whale and dolphin) is an extremely rare cetacean hybrid born from a mating of a female common bottlenosedolphin (Tursiops truncatus) with...
dolphins, two females named Sissy and Pamela and one younger male bottlenosedolphin named Peter. All of them were taken from Marine Studios and had been...
Dolphin Tale which in-turn was based on the true story about a rescued bottlenosedolphin named Winter who made her final on-screen appearance in this film...
bottlenosedolphins, but differs sufficiently to be placed in a separate genus, Sotalia. The Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis), a related dolphin present...
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