Dolphin Evolution
A Dolphin Organism Evolves
Anthony Youmans
BIO/101
Pamela Buckman
April 13, 2013
Kingdom: Anamalia, Phylum: Cordata, Class: Mammalia, Order: Cetacea, Sub-order: Odontoceti, Family: Delphinidae, Genus: Delphinus, Species: Delphi’s, or better known as, Dolphin. Dolphins occupy all oceans and major seas, even some are in larger river systems. This paper will cover characteristics of a dolphin, the ancestry to the modern dolphin, and what adaptations the dolphin has gone through to be the survivor it is today.
Characteristics
Dolphins are very social creatures and use interaction for the purpose of hunting, defense, and reproduction. Normally a dolphin will stay in a long-lasting group of 2-40animals called pods, but larger groups of hundreds of dolphins have been reported and those are called herds. Dolphins are carnivores that feed on fish, squid, octopus, cuttlefish, crabs, shrimps, and lobsters. Dolphins are food for sharks, killer whales, humans. Man is the most dangerous predator for the dolphin. Humans will kill dolphins for their meat, their fat, even for being in the area they are fishing. Additionally, studies are currently being done to evaluate the effect of pollution in the water on dolphins.
Dolphins bear live young, and the mother nurses the calf with her milk and provides care. The calf is nursed one and one half to three years and a mother will stay with her young three to eight years. Dolphins are believed to live about 30 years. Dolphins vary based on their ecosystem and what is required for them to survive in their niche.
In the Gulf of Alaska there are few dolphin species, one of which is the pacific white-sided dolphin. This dolphin has a short, rounded beak with about 30 curved teeth in each side of the jaw. Very energetic and is seen frequently leaping, belly flopping and summersaulting. It is attractively marked with black back, gray sides and white stripes from its eyes to its tail. Its dorsal fin is tall and sharply hooked, its
Anthony Youmans
BIO/101
Pamela Buckman
April 13, 2013
Kingdom: Anamalia, Phylum: Cordata, Class: Mammalia, Order: Cetacea, Sub-order: Odontoceti, Family: Delphinidae, Genus: Delphinus, Species: Delphi’s, or better known as, Dolphin. Dolphins occupy all oceans and major seas, even some are in larger river systems. This paper will cover characteristics of a dolphin, the ancestry to the modern dolphin, and what adaptations the dolphin has gone through to be the survivor it is today.
Characteristics
Dolphins are very social creatures and use interaction for the purpose of hunting, defense, and reproduction. Normally a dolphin will stay in a long-lasting group of 2-40animals called pods, but larger groups of hundreds of dolphins have been reported and those are called herds. Dolphins are carnivores that feed on fish, squid, octopus, cuttlefish, crabs, shrimps, and lobsters. Dolphins are food for sharks, killer whales, humans. Man is the most dangerous predator for the dolphin. Humans will kill dolphins for their meat, their fat, even for being in the area they are fishing. Additionally, studies are currently being done to evaluate the effect of pollution in the water on dolphins.
Dolphins bear live young, and the mother nurses the calf with her milk and provides care. The calf is nursed one and one half to three years and a mother will stay with her young three to eight years. Dolphins are believed to live about 30 years. Dolphins vary based on their ecosystem and what is required for them to survive in their niche.
In the Gulf of Alaska there are few dolphin species, one of which is the pacific white-sided dolphin. This dolphin has a short, rounded beak with about 30 curved teeth in each side of the jaw. Very energetic and is seen frequently leaping, belly flopping and summersaulting. It is attractively marked with black back, gray sides and white stripes from its eyes to its tail. Its dorsal fin is tall and sharply hooked, its
References: American Cetacean Society (2011). Pacific White-Sided Dolphin. Retrieved on April 21, 2013 from http://www.acsonline.org/factpack/PacWhiteSided.htm. Animal Files.com (2011) Anatomy of a Dolphin. Retrieved on April 21, 2013 from http://www.theanimalfiles.com/anatomy/dolphin_anatomy.html EO.Reddit.com (2013) Evolution Timeline of a While and Dolphin. Retrieved on April 21, 2013 from eo.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/dq4v7/til_the_evolution_ timeline_of_whales_and_dolphins/ Looney, Z. (1996) Dolphin Evolution. Retrieved on April 21, 2013 from http://tursiops.org/dolfin/guide/dolphinevo.html