Spinner Dolphin 925

Watwood, S.L., Miller, P.O., Johnson, M., Madsen, P.T., and Tyack, P.L. subspecies exist in the eastern Pacific, Indian Ocean, Southeast
(2006). Deep-diving foraging behaviour of sperm whales (Physeter Asia, and likely elsewhere (Perrin, 1998; Perrin et al., 1999).
macrocephalus). J. Anim. Ecol. 75, 814–825. Estimates of abundance exist for several regions (IUCN, 2016;
Weilgart, L., Whitehead, H., and Payne, K. (1996). A colossal convergence. Tyne et al., 2015a): whitebelly spinners in the ETP, about 800,000;
Am. Sci. 84, 278–287.
eastern spinners in the ETP, about 600,000; northern Gulf of
Weilgart, L.S., and Whitehead, H. (1988). Distinctive vocalizations from
Mexico, about 12,000; Hawai’i, about 6,00; southern Sulu Sea, about
mature male sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus). Can. J. Zool. 66,
1931–1937. 4000; and southeastern Sulu Sea, about 31,000.
Whitehead, H. (2003). Sperm Whales: Social Evolution in the Ocean.
III. Ecology
Chicago University Press, Chicago, IL.
Whitehead, H. (2002). Estimates of the current global population size In the ETP, the habitat of the pelagic eastern subspecies is trop-
and historical trajectory for sperm whales. Mar. Ecol: Prog. Ser. 242, ical surface water characterized by a shallow mixed layer, shoal and
295–304. sharp thermocline, and relatively small annual variation in surface
Whitehead, H. (1996). Babysitting, dive synchrony, and indications of temperature (Balance et al., 2006). In other tropical waters, spinner
alloparental care in sperm whales. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 38, 237–244. dolphins are usually associated with islands and coasts, venturing
Whitehead, H., and Rendell, L. (2004). Movements, habitat use and out to deeper water at night to feed (Benoit-Bird and Au, 2003;
feeding success of cultural clans of South Pacific sperm whales. J. Dolar et al., 2003; Karczmarski et al., 2005; Thorne et al., 2012).
Anim. Ecol. 73, 190–196. The Central American spinner inhabits shallower inshore water.
Whitehead, H., and Weilgart, L. (1991). Patterns of visually observable
Ecological niches defined mainly by surface temperature, depth, and
behaviour and vocalizations in groups of female sperm whales. Behaviour
118, 275–296. other factors are sharply different among the Stenella species and
other dolphins (Dolar et al., 2006; do Amaral et al., 2015).
In the eastern and western Pacific, the pelagic form has been
shown to prey mainly on small mesopelagic fishes and squids,
SPINNER DOLPHIN diving to 600 m or deeper (Perrin and Gilpatrick, 1994; Dolar
et al., 2003), but a dwarf subspecies in inner Southeast Asia, S. l.
Stenella longirostris roseiventris, consumes mainly benthic and reef fishes and inverte-
brates (Perrin et al., 1999). Predators include sharks, probably killer
William F. Perrin whales (Orcinus orca) and possibly false killer whales (Pseudorca cras-
sidens), and pygmy killer whales (Feresa attenuata). Parasites may
cause direct or indirect mortality.
The spinner dolphin, described by Gray in 1828, is the most com-
mon small cetacean in most tropical pelagic waters around the IV. Behavior and Physiology
world. It can be seen at a great distance as it spins high in the air Why the spinner spins is unknown. It has been suggested that
and lands in the water with a great splash. the large underwater bubble plume created by the violent spin and
reentry may serve as an ECHOLOCATION target for communica-
I. Characteristics and Taxonomy tion across a widely dispersed school (Norris et al., 1994).
The spinner dolphin is identified externally by its relatively long School size varies greatly, from just a few dolphins to a thou-
slender beak, color pattern, and dorsal fin (Fig. 1) (Perrin, 1998). sand or more. Social organization in Hawaiian waters is fluid, with
Four subspecies are currently recognized: the globally distributed schools composed of more or less temporary associations of family
Stenella longirostris longirostris (Gray’s spinner, Fig. 2), the eastern units; the associations may vary over days or weeks (Norris et al.,
tropical Pacific (ETP) endemics Stenella longirostris orientalis (east- 1994). Genetic and social structure of schools are flexible traits that
ern spinner, Fig. 3), and Stenella longirostris centroamericana (Central can vary between even closely related populations (Andrews et al.,
American spinner), and Stenella longirostris roseiventris, the dwarf 2010). Maximum recorded movements of individuals are 113 km
spinner of central Southeast Asia (Perrin, 1990; Perrin et al., 1999). (over 1220 days) in Hawai’i and 275 nmi (over 395 hr) in the eastern
A form intermediate between Gray’s spinner and the eastern spin- Pacific (Perrin, 1998).
ner called “whitebelly spinner” occurs in a broad zone of hybridi-
zation and carries Y-chromosome alleles found in both subspecies V. Life History
(Andrews et al., 2013). Fig. 4 provides an overall worldwide map of Gestation is about 10 months. Average length at birth is about
distribution. 75–80 cm. Length of nursing is 1–2 years. Calving interval is about
The skull can be confused with those of Stenella coeruleoalba, 3 years. Females attain sexual maturity at 8–9 years (Larese and
Stenella clymene, and Delphinus spp.; all have a relatively long and Chivers, 2009) and males at 7–10 years (Perrin, 1998). Breeding S
narrow dorsoventrally flattened rostrum, a large number of small is seasonal, more sharply so in some regions than in others. The
slender teeth (about 40–60 in each row) (Perrin, 1998). It dif- mating system may vary among populations. This is indicated by
fers from the skull of Delphinus in lacking strongly defined palatal geographic variation in morphology and testis size. For example,
grooves. in the ETP eastern spinners are more sexually dimorphic and have
The spinner dolphin is a member of the subfamily Delphininae. smaller testes than whitebelly spinners, likely indicating a greater
There are varying hypotheses of relationships among the delphin- tendency toward polygyny as opposed to polygynandry (promiscu-
ines (Perrin et al., 2013). ous mating) (Perrin and Mesnick, 2003).

II. Distribution and Abundance VI. Interactions With Humans

The spinner dolphin is pantropical, occurring in all tropical Large numbers have been killed incidentally since the early
and most subtropical waters around the world between roughly 1960s by tuna purse seiners in the ETP; the population of S. l. ori-
30–40°N and 20–40°S (Fig. 4, Jefferson et al., 2015). It is typically entalis is estimated to have been reduced to less than one-half of its
thought of as a high-seas species, but coastal populations and races/ original size (Wade et al., 2007). Continued chase and capture in the
 926 Spinner Dolphin

Figure 1 Spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris (Illustrations by Uko Gorter).

fishery may adversely affect fecundity or survivorship (Archer et al., development of markets and large directed catches from unassessed
2001; Moore, 2004; Cramer et al., 2008; Noren and Edwards, 2007). populations (Perrin, 1999; IUCN, 2016). The species is heavily
Bycatches that are also likely unsustainably high occur in drift nets exploited in the Solomon Islands, mainly for teeth used in a tradi-
and purse seines in the Philippines (Dolar, 1994, 1999). As is the tional economy (Oremus et al., 2015). Mercury in spinner dolphins
case for other small cetaceans caught in fishing nets, local human caught for human consumption may pose a health threat (Fielding
consumption of bycaught animals in several regions has led to the and Evans, 2014).
 Spinner Dolphin 927

Figure 3 The eastern spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris orientalis)

Figure 2 A Gray’s spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris longi- lacks a bold pattern. This adult male has a forward-canted dorsal fin, unique
rostris) in the Maldives Islands in the Indian Ocean (Photo by Robert L. to this subspecies and the parapatric Central American spinner (Stenella lon-
Pitman). girostris centroamericana) (Photo by Robert L. Pitman).

S
Figure 4 Spinner dolphin distribution. From Jefferson, T.A., Webber, M.A. and Pitman, R.L. (2015). “Marine Mammals of the World: A
Comprehensive Guide to Their Identification”, 2e. San Diego, Elsevier.

Harassment by dolphin-watching boats is emerging as a new References

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See Also the Following Articles Andrews, K.R., Karczmarski, L., Au, W.W.L., Rickards, S., Vanderlip,
Aerial Behavior ■ Clymene Dolphin ■ Delphinids, Overview ■ C.A., Bowen, B.W., Grau, E.G., and Toonen, R.J. (2010). Rolling
Tuna–Dolphin Issue stones and stable homes: Social structure, habitat diversity and
 928 Spotted Seal

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Unobserved kill of nursing dolphin calves in a tuna purse-seine fish- R.W., Yin, S., Richards, S.H., Deakos, M.H., Mobley Jr., J.R., Pack,
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sumption off St. Vincent, West Indies. Mar. Pol. Bull. 89, 30–34. Spotted seals (Phoca largha, Pallis 1811) belong to the order
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Norris, K.S., Würsig, B., Wells, R.S., and Würsig, M. (1994). The back, with scattered dark gray-black spots. The flanks and belly are
Hawaiian Spinner Dolphin. University of California Press, Berkeley. usually paler than the back and have fewer spots. The back often shows
S Oremus, M., Leqata, J., and Baker, C.S. (2015). Resumption of tradi- small pale rings on the somewhat darker dorsum (Figs 1 and 2). Pups
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Sci. doi:10.1098/rsos.140524. shed, the pelage resembles that of adults.
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Cetacea Delphinidae). Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 103, 453–463. cm long and weigh 85–110 kg. Adult females are 151–169 cm and
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