Here is an excerpt from our article on Spinner Dolphins on the website. We encounter these in several places, but most particularly on our expeditions.
Spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) derive their name from a habit of leaping from the water and warping their bodies into graceful curves, or spinning lengthwise before splashing back. The motives for this behavior are not known but such actions are often in themselves enough to distinguish this species.
Common names for the geographic varieties of Stenella longirostris include: the Costa Rican, Eastern, Whitebelly, and Hawaiian or Gray's dolphins. A dwarfed form of this species is found in the Gulf of Thailand.
General Description
Like other dolphins of the genus Stenella, spinner dolphins are relatively small, reaching lengths of up to 2 metres and weighing approximately 59-77 kilograms at maturity. They have long, slender snouts or beaks that are black above and white below.
Coloration is dark gray dorsally fading to lighter gray on the sides and the belly is white. A dark stripe extends from the flipper to the eye.
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