Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Infraorder: Cetacea
Family: Delphinidae
Genus: Steno
Species: S. bredanensis
Binomial name: Steno bredanensis
Common name: Rough-toothed dolphin
The rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis) is a species of dolphin that tend to favour tropical regions with warmer water around the world. It is a rare visitor to New Zealand. There have been a few dead individuals wash ashore here.
It is a relatively large species, with adults ranging from 2.09 to 2.83 metres in length, and weighing between 90 and 155 kilograms. Males are larger than females. It has a distinctive, long slender beak. Rough-toothed dolphin’s most visible characteristic feature is its conical head and slender nose. As the common name for the species implies, the teeth are also distinctive, having a roughened surface formed by numerous narrow irregular ridges. They have been reported to have between nineteen and twenty-eight teeth in each quarter of the jaw.
The flippers are set back further along the body than in other similar dolphins, although, at sea, this dolphin may be confused with bottlenose dolphins. The dorsal fin is pronounced, being from 18 to 28 centimetres in height. The animal's flanks are a light grey, while the back and dorsal fin are a much darker grey. Older individuals often have distinctive pinkish, yellow, or white markings around the mouth and along the underside.
Their predators are thought to be sharks and orca
A drawing showing the dolphins shape and its long jaw and teeth.
A diagram showing the dolphins size compare with a human.
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ http://www.terrain.net.nz/uploads/images/Te%20Henui/Faunatwo/1-Steno_bredanensis_2.jpg
