Why Knowing the Dolphin’s Scientific Name Matters in Biology
Dolphins are a kind of mammals that stay in the water. They can also be called aquatic that fall under the parvorder Odontoceti, which includes porpoises and toothed whales such as sperm whales. Dolphins are widespread, with 40 recorded species. Members have differentiated bodies with hind limbs that are modified into flippers for propulsion.
Members also have an exceptionally well-developed sense of hearing – enabling some species to survive even if they are blinded. As the Dolphins have a layer of fat underneath their skin, they do not feel cold during extreme temperatures. Dolphins are a kind of mammals that majorly feed on fish and therefore are also named as Piscivores beings. However, members that are largest such as the orcas, feed on other aquatic mammals such as seals.
Dolphins can be found in almost all sizes – The tiny Māui dolphin measures no more than 2 meters in length and weighs up to 50 kgs. The largest dolphin is the Orca, also known as the killer whale, and it measures over 30 feet in length and weighs a colossal 10,000 kilograms.
Dolphins can be found in the oceans all over the world but they prefer to stay in warmer tropical waters. Some members of dolphins are also found in rivers and brackish waters; the most well-known river dolphin is the Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica gangetica).
Another interesting aspect is that the dolphins consist of a special, fat-filled organ which is known as the “melon” which acts as an “acoustic lens”, aiding in sound recognition. This organ helps the animal to use echolocation – which effectively helps it to navigate and also hunt prey.
Scientific Names of Dolphin Species
Common bottlenose dolphin – Tursiops truncatus
Killer whale/orca – Orcinus orca
Amazon river dolphin – Inia geoffrensis
Long-finned pilot whale – Globicephala melas
False killer whale – Pseudorca crassidens
Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin -Tursiops aduncus
Facts About Dolphins
Dolphins having small teeths can be easily recognizable because of their curved mouths, which give them a permanent “smile.” There are 36 dolphin species, found in every ocean
Dolphins feed majorly on fish and squid, which they track using echolocation. With this sonar sound waves are bounced off prey and helps in getting the information about the location, size and shape of the fish.
The gestation period of dolphins takes nine to 17 months, that too depending upon the size. Dolphins are surprisingly maternal after their birth as they observe nestling and cuddling their young ones for a long period of time.
As we know that dolphins are mammals, therefore need to come to the surface of the water to breathe. It is also a fact to know that dolphins have separate holes for each task as compared to land mammals that breathe and eat through their mouths. Blowholes that exist in the body of Dolphins help them to eat and breathe at the same time separately. Having a separate hole for each work prevents the dolphin from sucking up water into the lungs when hunting, reducing the risk of drowning.
FAQs on Scientific Name of Dolphin: Definition, Examples & Key Facts
1. What is the scientific name for dolphins?
There is no single scientific name for all dolphins because "dolphin" is a common name for a wide group of aquatic mammals. These animals belong to the infraorder Cetacea. Each species has its own unique scientific name. For example, the scientific name for the Common Dolphin is Delphinus delphis, and for the Bottlenose Dolphin, it is Tursiops truncatus.
2. What is the complete scientific classification of a common dolphin?
The scientific classification provides a detailed hierarchy of an organism. For the Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), the classification is as follows:
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Artiodactyla
- Infraorder: Cetacea
- Family: Delphinidae
- Genus: Tursiops
- Species: truncatus
3. What are the key biological features that define a dolphin?
Dolphins are defined by several key biological characteristics. They are aquatic mammals, which means they are warm-blooded, breathe air through a blowhole, and give live birth. Other defining features include their highly streamlined bodies for efficient swimming, the use of echolocation (a type of biological sonar) for hunting and navigation, and their recognised high intelligence and complex social structures.
4. What do dolphins eat and how do they locate their food?
Dolphins are carnivores whose diet primarily consists of fish and squid. They are highly effective hunters, mainly due to a remarkable ability called echolocation. By emitting high-frequency sound waves and listening for the echoes that bounce back, a dolphin can determine the location, size, and even the shape of its prey in the water, even in dark or murky conditions.
5. What kind of habitats do dolphins live in?
Dolphins are found in a variety of aquatic environments across the globe. The majority of dolphin species are marine and live in the world's oceans, inhabiting both coastal areas (littoral zones) and the deep open ocean (pelagic zones). However, a few specialized species, such as the Ganges River Dolphin, are adapted to live exclusively in freshwater rivers and estuaries.
6. Why isn't there just one scientific name for all dolphins?
The term "dolphin" is a common name that refers to a large and diverse group of over 40 different species, not a single biological entity. In scientific classification, each distinct species must have a unique two-part name (binomial nomenclature). Assigning one name to all dolphins would be like giving the same scientific name to lions, tigers, and house cats, all of which are just commonly called "cats". Each dolphin species, like the Spinner Dolphin (Stenella longirostris) or the Risso's Dolphin (Grampus griseus), is genetically distinct and thus requires its own scientific name.
7. How does the scientific classification of a dolphin relate to that of a whale?
Dolphins and whales are very closely related. Both belong to the same infraorder, Cetacea. This order is split into two main sub-groups: baleen whales (Masticeti) and toothed whales (Odontoceti). Dolphins are a type of toothed whale. In fact, the largest member of the dolphin family (Delphinidae) is the Orca, commonly known as the "killer whale," whose scientific name is Orcinus orca. This shows that scientifically, all dolphins are a type of whale, but not all whales are dolphins.
8. What is the importance of using a scientific name like Tursiops truncatus instead of just "bottlenose dolphin"?
Using a scientific name is crucial in biology for several reasons, as per the principles of binomial nomenclature taught in the CBSE syllabus:
- Universality: A scientific name is the same in every language, eliminating confusion among scientists worldwide.
- Specificity: Common names can be misleading. For instance, the "killer whale" is a dolphin, not a typical whale, and the "dolphin fish" (mahi-mahi) is a fish, not a mammal. The scientific name Tursiops truncatus refers to only one specific species.
- Shows Relationships: The first part of the name, the genus (Tursiops), groups it with other closely related species, indicating evolutionary history.
9. Are freshwater dolphins, like the Ganges River Dolphin, classified differently from oceanic dolphins?
Yes, their classification reflects their distinct evolutionary paths. While all are part of the infraorder Cetacea, they belong to different families. Most oceanic dolphins belong to the family Delphinidae. In contrast, freshwater river dolphins are grouped into several other families. For example, the South Asian River Dolphin (which includes the Ganges River Dolphin) belongs to the family Platanistidae. This separation at the family level highlights significant genetic and adaptive differences between marine and freshwater species.
