hundred individuals, though groups of 50 or fewer (6-10) are 

 more common. They are often seen jumping clear of the water 

 and habitually ride the bow wave of moving vessels. As they 

 do. the distinct cape or band of purplish gray on the back of 

 younger animals and the spotting pattern of older animals 

 may be visible. 



Atlantic spotted dolphins feed primarily on squid but may 

 also take carangid fishes, small eels, herring, or ancho- 

 vies. 



May Be confused With 



Atlantic spotted dolphins, particularly young animals, 

 may be easily confused with Atlantic bottlenosed dolphins 

 because of the similarities in color pattern and general body 

 shape. However, the Atlantic spotted dolphins have 

 considerable purplish gray in their background colors and the 

 Atlantic bottlenosed dolphins are more dark gray to brownish 

 gray. This along with considerable differences in the overall 

 sizes of the two species should permit positive identification. 

 In general, the key differences between spotted and 

 bottlenosed dolphins are as follows: 



HEAD AND BEAK 



Head more slender; beak 

 longer; lips and top of snout 

 often white. 



Head robust; beak short; 

 beak usually uniformly gray 

 (older animals' beak may be 

 white at tip). 



NORMAL DISTRIBUTION 



Usually found more than 5 

 miles offshore; most common 

 inside 100-fathom curve. 



Usually more coastal, often 

 ascending rivers and enter- 

 ing lagoonal and estuarine 

 areas. 



Young Atlantic spotted dolphins are so similar in 

 appearance to the Atlantic bottlenosed dolphins that the 

 frequent reports of mixed schools of the two species are 

 probably occasioned by groups of spotted dolphins which 

 include some young, still unspotted animals. 



Atlantic spotted dolphins might also be confused with 

 bridled dolphins. The two can be most readily distinguished 

 by the following characteristics: 



Atlantic Spotted Dolphin 



Bridled Dolphin 



Atlantic Spotted Dolphin 



Atlantic Bottlenosed 

 Dolphin 



MAXIMUM SIZE 



To 7.5-8 feet (2.3-2.4 m). 



To 8-10 feet (2.4-3.1 m) 

 inshore, to as much as 12 feet 

 (3.7 m) offshore. 



BODY COLOR 



Dark purplish gray on back; 

 lighter gray on sides and 

 belly; body becomes increas- 

 ingly spotted with age. 



Dark gray on back; lighter 

 gray on sides; white or pink 

 on belly (old animals may 

 have a few spots on belly, but 

 most are not spotted). 



BODY SHAPE 

 Usually robust, often like More slender, more like that 

 that of the Atlantic bottle- of the Atlantic striped dol- 

 nosed dolphin. phin. 



BODY 



Spotted; purplish gray on 

 back; lighter gray on sides 

 and belly becoming increas- 

 ingly spotted with age. As 

 animals becomes more spot- 

 ted, cape become less dis- 

 tinct. Body has spinal blaze 

 and light line from flipper to 

 eye. 



COLOR 

 Spotted; side of head light 

 gray; body has stripe from 

 flipper to corner of mouth, 

 though the stripe tends to 

 fade as spotting increases. 

 Cape on top of head more 

 distinct that on Atlantic 

 spotted dolphin. Body has no 

 spinal blaze. 



Figure 116. — A side view of two female Atlantic 

 spotted dolphins from off St. Augustine, Fla. in the 

 tank at Marineland of Florida. Note the tall falcate 

 dorsal fin, pointed on the tip and varying slightly in 

 shape between the two individuals, and the spots on 

 the body. {Photo by S. Leatherwood.) 



105 



