Marine Wildlife Encyclopedia
Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin Sousa chinensis
The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin is a warm-water dolphin that gets its name from the conspicuous hump beneath its dorsal fin. Generally seen alone or in pairs, the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin shows a wide variation in color—some specimens are bluish gray, while others are almost white, particularly when they age. The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin feeds on fish, octopus, and squid, and it rarely strays far from the shore. A similar species exists off the Atlantic coast of Africa, and both species roll their bodies when they breathe, instead of jumping clear of the water.
zoom image
- Order Cetacea
- Length 6–9 ft (2–2.8 m)
- Weight Up to 440 lb (200 kg)
- Habitat Coastal waters, lagoons, estuaries
- Distribution Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, and southwestern Pacific
