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dolphin
References & Edit History Related Topics
Images & Videos
dolphin family
A dolphin on a background of graph paper, with a blue line chart trending downwards and four types of fish surrounding it.
bottlenose dolphins Illustration of a common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) swimming, with a faint silhouette of a scuba diver in the background for scale. Measurement bars show the dolphin is about 2 meters, or 6.6 feet, long. Illustration of a Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii) with a distinctive black and white pattern, shown above the faint silhouette of a scuba diver for scale. Measurement bars indicate the dolphin's length of about 1.5 meters, or 4.9 feet. A bottlenose dolphin swims at the water's surface, holding a large bailer shell with its rostrum inside the shell opening in Great Sandy Marine Park, Queensland. mammal: dolphins jumping Map of northern South America showing the distribution ranges of three river dolphin species. The Amazon River dolphin range is shaded green, covering much of the Amazon basin across Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia. The Orinoco River dolphin range is shown in yellow, limited to the Orinoco basin in Venezuela and Colombia. The Bolivian river dolphin range is marked in purple within central Bolivia. The Araguaian boto's range is shown in orange along the Araguaia and Tocantins rivers in Brazil common dolphin dolphin
At a Glance
Bottle-nosed dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)
dolphin summary
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dolphin: References & Edit History

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

  • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
    Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Added photograph. Aug 21, 2026
Article revised and updated. Aug 20, 2026
Modified link of Web site: Better Planet Education - Dolphins - Overview. Jul 01, 2026
Add new Web site: Smithsonian Ocean - Whales and Dolphins. Feb 13, 2026
Add new Web site: ABC listen - Victorian Afternoons - The sex life of dolphins. Nov 26, 2025
Add new Web site: LiveScience - Dolphins: Facts about the intelligent marine mammals that use tools to hunt. Oct 03, 2025
Media added. Jun 13, 2025
Questions and answers added. Mar 14, 2025
Add new Web site: Cell Press - Current Biology - Dolphin cognition. Dec 09, 2024
Add new Web site: International Fund for Animal Welfare - Dolphins vs. porpoises: What�s the difference? May 17, 2024
Add new Web site: Better Planet Education - Dolphins - Overview. Apr 27, 2023
Add new Web site: NOAA National Ocean Service - What's the difference between dolphins and porpoises? May 01, 2022
Add new Web site: San Diego Zoo Animals and Plants - Dolphin. Feb 28, 2021
Changed the conservation status of the Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii) from "vulnerable or near threatened" to "critically endangered." Jan 02, 2018
Add new Web site: Easy Science for Kids - Dolphin. Oct 11, 2017
Add new Web site: CoolKidFacts.com - Dolphin. Oct 11, 2017
Add new Web site: OneKind Planet - Dolphin. Oct 11, 2017
Added map showing the geographic ranges of various South American river dolphin species. Mar 17, 2017
Dolphin conservation status added; description of family Iniidae (South American river dolphins) added to the section on dolphin taxonomy. Mar 17, 2017
Noted passage of mirror-recognition test by bottlenose dolphins. Jul 02, 2014
Add new Web site: Indian Child - Dolphin. Feb 03, 2014
Add new Web site: KidsFront - Dolphin. Feb 02, 2014
Add new Web site: Animal Planet - Dolphin. Jan 30, 2014
Add new Web site: A-Z Animals - Dolphin. Jan 30, 2014
Add new Web site: San Diego Zoo Animals - Dolphin. Jan 30, 2014
The species count of genus Sousa, humpback dolphins, was raised to three with the inclusion of the species found in the waters off of northern Australia. Nov 01, 2013
Add new Web site: Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand - Dolphin. Sep 20, 2013
Text added noting the ability of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) to recognize the unique whistles of others they once associated with some 20 years after becoming separated from them. Aug 07, 2013
Add new Web site: Defenders of Wildlife - Dolphin. Aug 20, 2012
Add new Web site: Science Kids - Fun Science and Technology for Kids! - Dolphin Facts. Mar 16, 2012
Text added that updates the number of known dolphin species. Nov 29, 2011
Added new Web site: Animal Planet - Dolphin. Apr 14, 2009
Added new Web site: How Stuff Works - Animals - Dolphins. May 26, 2008
Added new Web site: Enchanted Learning - Pantropical Spotted Dolphin. Mar 09, 2008
Added new Web site: Animal Corner - Dolphin. Feb 10, 2008
Added new Web site: CRW Flags - Flags of the World - Flag of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Feb 08, 2008
Media added. Sep 06, 2007
Added new Web site: Whale and Dolphin Conservation - Facts About Dolphins. Jan 10, 2007
Added new Web site: Whale Songs. Oct 17, 2006
Added new Web site: Official Site of Whale and Dolphin Conservation. Sep 29, 2006
Article revised. Mar 25, 2004
Article revised. Apr 17, 2003
Article revised. May 04, 1999
Article added to new online database. Jul 20, 1998
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