CCARO

Striped Dolphin

Stenella coeruleoalba

Classification
Scientific Name: Stenella coeruleoalba

Other Names: Euphrosyne Dolphin, Whitebelly, Blue-white Dolphin, Meyen's Dolphin, Gray's Dolphin, Streaker Porpoise

Suborder: Odontoceti

Family: Delphinidae

Description
The striped dolphin has a stock body with a medium beak and rounded melon. It is grey with a darker grey cape, ligher underside and distinctive eye to vent and eye to flipper stripes (sometimes a shorter stripe just behind the eye). It also has a pale blaze on its sides endding just under the dorsal fin.
These dolphins are quick and often perform acrobatics, sometimes will bowride and are infrequently seen with other species.

Maximum Length
Male: 1.8 - 2.7 m
Female: 1.9 -2.4 m
Calf: 0.9 - 1 m

Maximum Weight
Adult: 90 - 156 kg
Calf: 20 kg

Striped Dolphin Ecology

Range: Tropical and temperate waters

Usual Habitat: Generally beyond the continental shelf

Usual group size: 20-50 occasionally 100s

Main Diet: Schooling fish and cephalopods

Local population: Unknown

Global range of the Striped Dolphin

Dark blue areas indicate where Striped Dolphins are likely to be found

Conservation Information

Threats

Habitat Damage

IUCN Conservation Status: Striped Dolphins are listed as "Least Concern" on the IUCN red list.

SPAW Protocol: Striped Dolphins are cetaceans, which are listed under Annex II of the SPAW protocol. As such they require total protection under article 11 of this protocol which prohibits the "taking, possession, killing and commercial trade of the species, their parts or products". The SPAW protocol was created to help with the implementation and promotion of the Ramsar Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Annexes of the SPAW protocol can be found here.

Local Laws: Cetaceans are protected under the Conservation of Wildlife Act of Trinidad and Tobago which offers protection to all species not listed under the second or third schedules of this act.

Reports of Striped Dolphins in Trinidad and Tobago
This is currently being researched and written. It will appear here shortly.

References

The above information was obtained from the following sources:

A Princeton Field Guide: Whales Dolphins and Other Marine Mammals of the World by Hadoram Shirihai and Brett Jarrett (2006)
Smithsonian Handbooks: Whales Dolphins and Porpoises by Mark Carwardine and illustrated by Martin Camm (2002)
The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society's Species Guide at http://www2.wdcs.org/species/index.php
The IUCN Redlist at http://www.iucnredlist.org
The SPAW protocol Annexes with links available at http://www.car-spaw-rac.org/?Annexes-of-the-SPAW-Protocol,83

Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the following people for the use of the art work and photographs:

Alësha Naranjit (Illustration of Striped Dolphin)