Heaviside's Dolphin
| Heaviside's dolphin | |
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| Heaviside's dolphin off Luderitz | |
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| Size compared to an average human | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Infraorder: | Cetacea |
| Family: | Delphinidae |
| Genus: | Cephalorhynchus |
| Species: | C. heavisidii |
| Binomial name | |
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Cephalorhynchus heavisidii Gray, 1828 |
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| Heaviside's dolphin range | |
Heaviside's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus heavisidii), sometimes called Haviside's dolphin after its discoverer, is a small dolphin found off the coast of Namibia and the west coast of South Africa. It is one of four dolphins in the genus Cephalorhynchus — the others being the Chilean dolphin, Hector's dolphin, and Commerson's dolphin.
Early in the 19th century, a specimen was caught off the Cape of Good Hope and brought to the United Kingdom by a Captain Haviside of the British East India Company. Zoologist John Edward Gray, who described the species in his Spicilegia Zoologica, misidentified Haviside as a surgeon of note named Heaviside, whose collection was acquired roughly contemporaneously. "Heaviside's Dolphin" is most common in the literature, though some authorities use the originally-intended name "Haviside's dolphin".
Although sightings of the species are not uncommon off the Skeleton Coast of Namibia, Heaviside's dolphins have not been systematically studied by scientists. They have been recorded off the coast of northern Namibia at 17°S and as far south as the southern tip of South Africa. Sightings are often recorded from major population centres such as Cape Town and towns such as Walvis Bay. Sightings are likely from Lambert's Bay either from the shore or from boat trips run from the harbour. No estimates of abundance exist.
Heaviside's dolphin is a fairly small dolphin, growing to about 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) in length and weighing up to 75 kg. Their size and the bluntness of their heads lead these dolphins to often be mistaken for porpoises. The head is coloured a dark grey. The front half of the upper side and the flanks are a much lighter grey. The dorsal fin, and back half of the back are again a darker grey colour. The underbelly is white, with flashes of white on the flanks below the dorsal fin.
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Wikipedia