The dolphin is one of the extraordinary aquatic animals most loved and appreciated by people, these incredible mammals have managed to occupy a decisive space in the human environment, due to the magnificent benefits they bring to the physical and emotional health of all those who have had the opportunity to share with him.
Delphinidae
The dolphin is also called "Delphinidae”, so as to identify them in a plural term that deals with the inclusion of the same family of aquatic genera, they have designated it in this way to highlight their difference between the so-called “platanistoidea” which are the well-known freshwater dolphins, have also been described as members of the lineage of “odontocete cetaceans” tremendously heterogeneous, reaching up to 34 varieties of species.
Her CARACTERISTICS
All the dolphin Characteristics, they are exorbitantly relevant since it is taken into account as a unique and captivating creature that leaves deep traces in its wake. Next, we leave you each of the peculiarities that it has:
- Among their outstanding characteristics, they reach a length of approximately 2 / 9m in length, they have an elongated body, which is fusiform with a head of a great dimension, which has a quite elongated snout.
- Seeing an odd spiracle highlighted at the top where the well-known hole used to breathe is shown, which most sea creatures have to extract air / water as part of their central respiratory system.
- Another of the particularities that are not hidden from the dolphin is that they are purely carnivorous by authenticity.
- The dolphin is highly valued for being a member of the different species or varieties cataloged as the most intelligent and perceptive that occupy the world.
- These animals mentioned mostly delight in the vicinity of the shore of fresh or salt waters, which are comparatively contiguous to the coasts, the dolphin is considered an excessively intelligent creature, due to its perception of reaching a closeness or proximity with the human being , which for him has been cataloged as a very favorite attractive point, to interact with them.
- To get the attention of the human they seduce with sounds, also in front of them they give themselves the task of showing their happiness with spontaneous dances accompanied by incredible jumps in the same way that other cetaceans are used to doing.
- All this display of talent is manifested for the simple purpose of communicating, to position themselves and thus obtain their prey, likewise, they manage the echolocation they have in their environment.
It is worth mentioning that currently the most assertive threats indicate that they reside exposed with enormous determination to the same anthropic nature (humans). Just as we have mentioned each of the particularities of this animal, you can see the Shark Characteristics and in comparison you will notice that they are completely different.
How is your anatomy?
The anatomy of this creature boasts of being of a distinguished physiognomy very similar to other species, they have a somatic variety signed to reptiles, which at the same time have described it with the title of "ichthyosaurus” that comes from a scientific meaning as a way of placing a particular identification on it.
Now, we can mention that the designated species of the family "Delphinidae” tacitly defined exhibit an elongated body, suitable for exercise or dizzying swimming activity.
It has a variety of fins, one of them called tail, also designated with the appellation caudal, which manages it to achieve propulsion or launch. Therefore, the other fins identified in the pectoral part are determined pectoral, these are used with the firm purpose of preserving the exclusive focused directional control of the swim.
With regard to the exact uniqueness of the skin, it is noted that it exhibits an explicit gray color, which is highlighted with enhancement in the lower part of the well-known belly, likewise more in-depth dark attributes can be asserted in the part of the loin. Highlighting that on small occasions you can combine lines with spots of various dyes including certain contrasts.
in the head of this odontocete, carries with it the so-called melon, it is good to mention that the other odontocetes also have the indicated aspect, whose scientific designation attends to these species. In the same way, it has a defined spherical organ (round), which they handle for echolocation or biosonar, a very common action in their environment.
As we mentioned in previous paragraphs, these mammals exhibit jaws, elongated in appearance that form the very particular, markedly thin snout. They have a homodont-shaped dentition, which has teeth or molars in a quantity of 20/50 distributed in both jaws. They inhale through the hole on the top of their head.
Know your behavior
It usually responds to showing itself as a strange creature that is distinguished among other animals, this perceptibility qualifies it that way by the distinction that it groups in its reason of superior affability, to which is also added a high percentage of wisdom that is denoted in the maritime environment of the entire planet.
So much so that scientists have valued its intelligence among other genres, proving to be not so easy to assess, due to the discrepancies that are detailed in the sensory system of this animal, which refer to the direct modes of response, as well as, to the originality of cognition (knowledge, knowledge) among other particularities.
In social conduct
It is already proven that due to his extravagant way of relating he is incredibly social, this has led to reflect his behavior from what we can quote today and at the same time he has accessed the opportunity to unveil a great demonstration given by living in mass agglomerations of families, Thanks to this particularity, his pleased choice of manifestation inclined towards humans is suspected, logically this is based on an assumption.
in playback
The link or union of the distinguished dolphins takes place in a face-to-face event, both facing each other, but not with violence but in the way that unites them to the act of reproduction. The event highlights that the function that the brain executes for the act is very fast but very effective, with the particularity of resorting to possible continuous repetitions. Studies indicate that the male woos his partner with love rhymes.
The statutory gestation period cannot be encrypted and signed at the same time, this is due to the variation of the multiple species existing in these spheres. It is stipulated that the child "tucuxi” It has a gestation of no more than 330 to 365 days, compared to the orca it takes a pregnancy course of around 140 to 155 days.
Where it is indicated, it usually has a single calf in a birth. It is also highlighted that the sexual cycle begins at a young age, even long before reaching sexual maturity. It should be noted that with the Gray whale This is not the case, she has to wait years to be fit and conceive her offspring (several).
Their feeding
As regards the essential part ofwhat do dolphins eat? In food, different methodologies are indicated that mainly incubate these lineages, marked “Delphinidae» the fundamental nutrition consists of breast milk, as occurs in any mammal, being the same for these types of species there are no changes in the first months of their existence, they are molded like all the others.
When the remarkable time to give up milk has already passed, it is time to take a second step in its nutrition, which will now be contemplated with the inclusion of fish together with exquisite squid for that fundamental stage.
As everything progresses, the turn comes when the hatchling starts hunting where it uses its speed very agilely, however, sometimes it decides to take echolocation with it to look for some hidden prey in the sand.
Mostly the hunting episodes are usually carried out collectively, which is described in grouped banks symbolizing herds, they enclose or fence their prey, managing to separate them as it resembles a piece of the whole, these practices usually occur in various scenarios where they have under control all the tactics they employ, very different from those outlined in ¿What do whales eat??
How are your Vocalizations?
The vocalizations that spring from their interior sing an extensive scale of harmonized sounds, which burst into the tone of their song, where they use aerial sacks of their select nasal capacities located above their spiracle. You can enjoy 3 forms of sounds:
El Primero: From its outlined sound it is called Clicks intended for Echolocation (constitutes being very important for military use today, they use the sounds of these creatures (dolphins), in order to achieve findings in the sea, between this justification and others cited by scientists it is ensured that the outstanding clicks (sounds), have been used for different signs.
El Segundo: The Bursts or gusts of impulses and releases of sounds.
The third: The Incredibles Whistles harmonious with modulated assiduity, (with them they woo the female by quoting them love verses).
Echolocation
The aforementioned echolocation has become something similar to a guide for the dolphin or speaking in a plural term for the so-called dolphins, who through the sounds emitted serve as a direction in the environment where they are, since in this way they manage to capture the location of the place and in the same way the moment in which they must return from one place to another and all this is possible at the enormous scale of sounds.
Summoned by small cyclones of sound propositions known as Clicks. Fortunately, the dolphin is privileged to have this faculty that accredits it to have a form of orientation that is subject to low-scale emissions as well as high-frequency emissions, both mixed, but well understandable by these wise creatures that have sensitized their hearing .
Taxonomy
The taxonomy responds to a long list made up of the select family of "Delphinidae" where each one of the dolphins is indicated, in reality they comprise a very high quantity or figure, of which we will place only the main ones of these wonderful creatures:
Genealogy of the Family Delphinidae
Next we present the list with the different genres.
Variety ⇒ Species (binomial) ⇒ Original name
- Cephalorhynchus ⇒ Eutrophy ⇒ Chilean dolphin.
- Cephalorhynchus ⇒ Cephalorhynchus commersonii ⇒ tonina overa.
- Cephalorhynchus ⇒ Heavisidii ⇒ Heaviside's Dolphin.
- Cephalorhynchus hectori ⇒ Hector's Dolphin.
- Dolphinus ⇒Delphinus capensis ⇒ coastal common dolphin.
- Delphinus delphis ⇒ Oceanic common dolphin.
- Feresa ⇒ Feresa attenuata ⇒ pygmy killer whale.
- Globicephala ⇒ Globicephala macrorhynchus ⇒ Short-finned pilot whale.
- Grampus ⇒ Grampus griseus ⇒ Risso's dolphin.
- Globicephala melas ⇒ common pilot whale
- Lagenorhynchus ⇒ Lagenorhynchus acutus ⇒ Atlantic dolphin.
- Lagenodelphis ⇒ Lagenodelphis hosei ⇒ Fraser's dolphin.
- Lagenorhynchus australis ⇒ Southern or Antarctic dolphin.
- Lagenorhynchus obliquidens ⇒ Pacific white-sided dolphin.
- Lagenorhynchus cruciger ⇒ Cross Dolphin.
- Lissodelphis Lissodelphis borealis ⇒ Northern finless dolphin.
- Lagenorhynchus obscurus ⇒ Dusky or Fitzroy's dolphin.
- Lissodelphis peronii ⇒ Southern finless dolphin.
- Orcaella heinsohni ⇒ Heinsohn's beluga dolphin.
- Orcinus ⇒ Orcinus orca ⇒ common killer whale.
- Orcaella ⇒ Orcaella brevirostris ⇒ Irrawaddy river beluga dolphin.
- Pseudorca ⇒ Pseudorca crassidens ⇒ false killer whale.
- Peponocephala ⇒ Peponocephala electra ⇒ melon-headed dolphin.
- Sotalia ⇒ Sotalia fluviatilis ⇒ tucuxi.
- Sousa chinensis ⇒ Hong Kong pink dolphin.
- Sousa teuszii ⇒ Atlantic humpback dolphin.
- Sotalia guianensis ⇒ Coastal.
- Stenella ⇒ Stenella attenuata ⇒ Tropical saddled or spotted (painted) dolphin.
- Stenella clymene ⇒ Short-beaked acrobat dolphin.
- Stenella frontalis ⇒ Atlantic spotted dolphin.
- Stenella coeruleo alba ⇒ Striped dolphin.
- Steno ⇒ Steno bredanensis ⇒ narrow beaked dolphin.
- Stenella longirostris ⇒ Long-beaked stunt dolphin.
- Tursiops ⇒ Tursiops aduncus ⇒ Indo-Pacific Dolphin.
- Tursiops ⇒ Tursiops truncatus bottlenose or bottlenose dolphin.
- Tursiops ⇒ Tursiops australis ⇒ burrunan dolphin.
It is worth mentioning that from the list presented where the variety of "binomial" species with their respective original names stand out, 17 varieties or genera are indicated, among which are 36 names of dolphins distributed according to the variety they represent.
Hybridization
Hybridization specifically refers to the outstanding moment of copulation, also identified as mating, celebrated in a pair of animals of different sexes, which can be determined as a male and a female, regardless of the class of both species, they form part of the same family or as well it can be of the same or different gender. In this respect the family Delphinidae can be mentioned.
These have been counted called balfines, in general, in these times it is not possible to give exact mating figures since there are few explorations in which the existence of inspected environments can be affirmed and much less registered that would logically refer to the crossing of these animals.
Evolution
Of the stage that corresponds to the evolution of these creatures, much is said and has been written that more than 96-98 decades ago, since they appeared, there are many conceptions and even speculations that have been mentioned in relation to these animals, indicating that the Dolphins, together with other cetaceans, emerge from the so-called mesonychia.
These successes are currently registered, for this reason we can cite all those events and speak of them properly, in the same way it can be pointed out that an adaptation to a certain group of animals occurred in which the dolphins were included, of these it is mentioned that they had legs and had to undergo an adjustment process in the waters.
This perception was based on a mode of protection that conformed to the condition of the skin that these creatures had (without hair), some data show that man introduced them into the sea and there, over time, they evolved, so much so that the front legs were transformed into flippers and the others disappeared, in relation to this information many questions arose, one of them refers to Where do the dolphins live.
We can also deduce that at the beginning of their appearance, it is thought that they lived in a mixed way, it is a thought that articulates one thing with the other. Another important fact regarding the enunciated evolution is that these animals were closely linked to the so-called artiodactyls, all of this dates back more than 50 to 70 million years.
Threats
Until now, the threats to which dolphins are exposed focus on two quite particular aspects, in the sense that fortunately they are not pointed out as something that is above these creatures harassing them, although you should pay attention and not dismiss them.
Natural Hazards
In terms of natural and human threats, both are extremely worrying since it is about causing deterioration in the dolphins, often indirectly, as is often the case directly, we mentioned this with respect to the feeding of other animals that They enjoy enjoying their nutrition with these species.
As a result, these creatures appear as a threat, especially when the dolphins are in a stage of growth or evolution.
Of those taken into account as a threat are: the orca that is assigned «Orcinus″ of the “scientific name”, and some Tiburones, among which are the bull shark, the white shark and the outstanding Tiger shark, have a large percentage of being a forceful threat to the offspring.
Human threats
The human risk relationship for these species is pointed out, specifically to concerted contagion events, this is totally considered by the multiple extractions collected, all kinds of elements such as heavy metals and other things with residues of toxic substances, which many think are not harmful when throwing them.
In addition to those mentioned above, any type of plastic pots or containers are included, as well as remains of products dedicated to industries, which after suffering a disintegration exterminate a large number of dolphins, among other animals that end up being equally affected, destroying in their path a huge population.
Relationship with the Human Being
The correspondence of dolphins with individuals has been characterized in a very special way, both are different creatures, but their differences have not produced negative effects, on the contrary, man feels privileged to be able to share with these animals so closely.
On the other hand, the distinguished animal shows an enormous satisfaction in feeling part of these humans, this affirmation can be seen in the parks where they are exhibited for the human being, the encounters that are possible are received as a gift, never imagined and therefore mutual acceptance between these two, there is a connection that has reached military entities and others.
Dolphins in Legends and Mythology
Legends have always existed and have given rise to extensive conversations about appearances and other things, they are often used as a means of entertainment, and dolphins and other creatures such as the extravagant Humpback Whale, they do not escape from being part of stories, fictions and mythology. It is said that many legends were produced from this animal.
In short, we can find countless of these, where assumptions of antiquity have been certified, in which the dolphin is related in detail to the human being, in affirmations that have been credited by adding them to different mythologies (Greek, Chiloe and others). .
The Dolphins as a Show
The form or mode of recreation of the human being has become infinite compared to the enjoyment that usually requires looking for being a very dynamic or active individual, one of the shows that has seemed attractive is with the use of domesticated dolphins and killer whales as of numerous exhibitions where the skills and abilities of these mentioned creatures are used.
Many companies have devoted themselves to the construction of water parks, zoos and other means to use as their main strategy in order to obtain large incomes in exchange for the benefits that these animals offer to man, which are many and we will mention among them, the therapies that restore the integral health of individuals.
Dolphins in the Army
Due to their outstanding dexterity linked to the wisdom that emanates from their great brain, these creatures have managed to have a position and seat of valuation, due to the fact that they are born collaborators in some "military" institutions, an example of these is "The Navy Program ”, accredited with the acronym “NMMP” in the USA. This entity records training data for various creatures, the main one being the dolphin.
The number of how many of these beautiful mammals have managed to be trained in these functions is unknown, but what is stated is that part of these beings are also possessors of merits that have been achieved with their collaboration, in this significant sphere.
Cooperative Fishing
Animals and men have had experiences never imagined or detailed. Likewise, today in documentaries where these species are described, between outlined lines of philosophers and thinkers such as the well-known (Pliny the Elder). Association fishing in support, was born from an idea of individuals who discovered the pleasure of interacting with dolphins, from there arise various scenes full of significant encounters.
Likewise, there are currently associations similar to this task that have a prominent place in the "Locality of Laguna", in regions of the nation of Brazil, in these territories fishermen meet with their outstanding teams, all with the purpose of create lines of men who stand in harmony waiting for the arrival of dolphins, in this place they come for a unique show.