Dolphins Fossil range: Early Miocene - Recent
Bottlenose Dolphin breaching in the bow wave of a boat
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Cetacea Suborder: Odontoceti Family: Delphinidae and Platanistoidea Gray, 1821
Genera
See article below. The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene period and extends from about 23 The Bottlenose Dolphin is one of the most common and well-known Dolphins. Chordates ( Phylum Chordata) are a group of Animals that includes the Vertebrates together with several closely related Invertebrates Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands The Order Cetacea (sɪˈteɪʃiə L cetus, whale includes Whales Dolphins and Porpoises Cetus is The toothed whales ( Systematic name Odontoceti) form a Suborder of the Cetaceans including sperm whales beaked whales orca dolphins John Edward Gray ( 12 February 1800 &ndash 7 March 1875) was a British zoologist. A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic

Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. Marine mammals are a diverse group of roughly 120 species of Mammal that are primarily Ocean -dwelling or depend on the ocean for food Whales are marine mammals which are neither Dolphins (ie members of the families Delphinidae or Platanistoidae) nor Porpoises Orcas Porpoises are Small Cetaceans of the Family Phocoenidae; they are related to Whales and Dolphins They are distinct from dolphins There are almost forty species of dolphin in seventeen genera. A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic They vary in size from 1. 2 metres (4 ft) and 40 kilograms (88 lb) (Maui's Dolphin), up to 9. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The pound or pound-mass (abbreviation lb, lbm, or sometimes in the United States #) is a unit of Mass Maui's dolphin ( Cephalorhynchus hectori maui) are known to be the world's smallest Dolphin. 5 m (30 ft) and ten tonnes (the Orca or Killer Whale). This article is about the tonne or metric ton For other tons see Ton. The Orca or Killer Whale ( Orcinus orca) less commonly Blackfish or Seawolf, is the largest species of the Oceanic dolphin family They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating fish and squid. The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each Continent and associated Coastal plain, which is covered during interglacial periods such Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two Squid are marine Cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species The family Delphinidae is the largest in the Cetacea, and relatively recent: dolphins evolved about ten million years ago, during the Miocene. In Biological classification, family ( Latin Oceanic dolphins are the members of the Delphinidae family of Cetaceans These aquatic Mammals are related to Whales and Porpoises They The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene period and extends from about 23 Dolphins are considered to be amongst the most intelligent of animals and their often friendly appearance and seemingly playful attitude have made them popular in human culture. Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic

Origin of the name

The name is originally from Ancient Greek δελφίς (delphís; "dolphin"), which was related to the Greek δελφύς (delphys; "womb"). The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c The animal's name can therefore be interpreted as meaning "a 'fish' with a womb". ^[1] The name was transmitted via the Latin delphinus, Middle Latin dolfinus and the Old French daulphin, which reintroduced the ph into the word. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Medieval Latin was the form of Latin used in the Middle Ages, primarily as a medium of scholarly exchange and as the Liturgical language of the medieval Old French was the Romance Dialect continuum spoken in territories which span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium

The word is used in a few different ways. It can mean:

• Any member of the family Delphinidae (oceanic dolphins),
• Any member of the families Delphinidae and Platanistoidea (oceanic and river dolphins),
• Any member of the suborder Odontoceti (toothed whales; these include the above families and some others),
• Used casually as a synonym for Bottlenose Dolphin, the most common and familiar species of dolphin. Oceanic dolphins are the members of the Delphinidae family of Cetaceans These aquatic Mammals are related to Whales and Porpoises They River dolphins are four living species of Dolphin which reside in freshwater rivers and Estuaries.

In this article, the second definition is used. Porpoises (suborder Odontoceti, family Phocoenidae) are thus not dolphins in this sense. Porpoises are Small Cetaceans of the Family Phocoenidae; they are related to Whales and Dolphins They are distinct from dolphins Porpoises are Small Cetaceans of the Family Phocoenidae; they are related to Whales and Dolphins They are distinct from dolphins Orcas and some closely related species belong to the Delphinidae family and therefore qualify as dolphins, even though they are called whales in common language. A group of dolphins can be called a "school" or a "pod". Male dolphins are called "bulls", females "cows" and young dolphins are called "calves". ^[2]

Taxonomy

Common Dolphin

Bottlenose Dolphin

Spotted Dolphin

Commerson's Dolphin

Dusky Dolphin

Killer Whales, also known as Orcas

The Boto, or Amazon River Dolphin

• Suborder Odontoceti, toothed whales
  • Family Delphinidae, oceanic dolphins
    • Genus Delphinus
      • Long-Beaked Common Dolphin, Delphinus capensis
      • Short-Beaked Common Dolphin, Delphinus delphis
    • Genus Tursiops
      • Bottlenose Dolphin, Tursiops truncatus
      • Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin, Tursiops aduncus
    • Genus Lissodelphis
      • Northern Rightwhale Dolphin, Lissodelphis borealis
      • Southern Rightwhale Dolphin, Lissiodelphis peronii
    • Genus Sotalia
      • Tucuxi, Sotalia fluviatilis
    • Genus Sousa
      • Indo-Pacific Hump-backed Dolphin, Sousa chinensis
        • Chinese White Dolphin (the Chinese variant), Sousa chinensis chinensis
      • Atlantic Humpbacked Dolphin, Sousa teuszii
    • Genus Stenella
      • Atlantic Spotted Dolphin, Stenella frontalis
      • Clymene Dolphin, Stenella clymene
      • Pantropical Spotted Dolphin, Stenella attenuata
      • Spinner Dolphin, Stenella longirostris
      • Striped Dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba
    • Genus Steno
      • Rough-Toothed Dolphin, Steno bredanensis
    • Genus Cephalorynchus
      • Chilean Dolphin, Cephalorhynchus eutropia
      • Commerson's Dolphin, Cephalorhynchus commersonii
      • Heaviside's Dolphin, Cephalorhynchus heavisidii
      • Hector's Dolphin, Cephalorhynchus hectori
    • Genus Grampus
      • Risso's Dolphin, Grampus griseus
    • Genus Lagenodelphis
      • Fraser's Dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei
    • Genus Lagenorhyncus
      • Atlantic White-Sided Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus acutus
      • Dusky Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obscurus
      • Hourglass Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus cruciger
      • Pacific White-Sided Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens
      • Peale's Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus australis
      • White-Beaked Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris
    • Genus Orcaella
      • Australian Snubfin Dolphin, Orcaella heinsohni
      • Irrawaddy Dolphin, Orcaella brevirostris
    • Genus Peponocephala
      • Melon-headed Whale, Peponocephala electra
    • Genus Orcinus
      • Killer Whale (Orca), Orcinus orca
    • Genus Feresa
      • Pygmy Killer Whale, Feresa attenuata
    • Genus Pseudorca
      • False Killer Whale, Pseudorca crassidens
    • Genus Globicephala
      • Long-finned Pilot Whale, Globicephala melas
      • Short-finned Pilot Whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus
  • Family Platanistoidea, river dolphins
    • Genus Inia
      • Boto (Amazon River Dolphin), Inia geoffrensis
    • Genus Lipotes
      • Chinese River Dolphin (Baiji), Lipotes vexillifer (considered functionally extinct)
    • Genus Platanista
      • Ganges River Dolphin, Platanista gangetica
      • Indus River Dolphin, Platanista minor
    • Genus Pontoporia
      • La Plata Dolphin (Franciscana), Pontoporia blainvillei

Six species in the family Delphinidae are commonly called "whales" but are strictly speaking dolphins. The Common Dolphin is the name given to up to three species of Dolphin making up the Genus Delphinus. The Bottlenose Dolphin is one of the most common and well-known Dolphins. Spotted Dolphin refers to either one of two closely related dolphin species being Atlantic Spotted Dolphin, Stenella frontalis Commerson's Dolphin ( Cephalorhynchus commersonii) is one of four Dolphins in the Cephalorhynchus genus The Dusky Dolphin ( Lagenorhynchus obscurus) is a highly gregarious and acrobatic Dolphin found in coastal waters in the Southern Hemisphere. The Orca or Killer Whale ( Orcinus orca) less commonly Blackfish or Seawolf, is the largest species of the Oceanic dolphin family The Orca or Killer Whale ( Orcinus orca) less commonly Blackfish or Seawolf, is the largest species of the Oceanic dolphin family Oceanic dolphins are the members of the Delphinidae family of Cetaceans These aquatic Mammals are related to Whales and Porpoises They The Common Dolphin is the name given to up to three species of Dolphin making up the Genus Delphinus. The Common Dolphin is the name given to up to three species of Dolphin making up the Genus Delphinus. The Bottlenose Dolphin is one of the most common and well-known Dolphins. The Bottlenose Dolphin is one of the most common and well-known Dolphins. The northern right whale dolphin ( Lissodelphis borealis) is a Right whale dolphin. The Southern Right Whale Dolphin ( Lissodelphis peronii) is a Right Whale Dolphin. The Tucuxi ( Sotalia fluviatilis) is a Dolphin found both in the rivers of the Amazon Basin and in the coastal waters to the north and east of The Humpback Dolphin is a member of the Genus Sousa. These Dolphins are characterized by the conspicuous humps and elongated Dorsal The Chinese White Dolphin ( Sousa chinensis chinensis;) also called Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin, is a Species of the Humpback dolphin The Humpback Dolphin is a member of the Genus Sousa. These Dolphins are characterized by the conspicuous humps and elongated Dorsal The Atlantic Spotted Dolphin ( Stenella frontalis) is a Dolphin found in the Gulf Stream of the North Atlantic Ocean. The Clymene Dolphin ( Stenella clymene) in some texts known as the Short-snouted Spinner Dolphin, is a Dolphin endemic to the Atlantic Ocean The Pantropical Spotted Dolphin ( Stenella attenuata) is a Species of Dolphin found in all the world's temperate and tropical oceans The Spinner Dolphin ( Stenella longirostris) is a small Dolphin found in off-shore tropical waters around the world The Striped Dolphin ( Stenella coeruleoalba) is an extensively studied Dolphin that is found in temperate and tropical waters of all the world's oceans The Rough-toothed Dolphin ( Steno bredanensis) is a fairly large dolphin that can be found in deep warm and tropical waters around the world The Chilean Dolphin ( Cephalorhynchus eutropia) also known as the Black Dolphin, is one of four Dolphins in the Cephalorhynchus genus Commerson's Dolphin ( Cephalorhynchus commersonii) is one of four Dolphins in the Cephalorhynchus genus Heaviside's Dolphin ( Cephalorhynchus heavisidii) is a small Dolphin that is found off the coast of Namibia and the west coast of South Africa Hector's Dolphin or White-headed Dolphin ( Cephalorhynchus hectori) is the most well-known of the four Dolphins in the Genus Cephalorhynchus The Risso's Dolphin ( Grampus griseus) is the only Species of Dolphin in the Genus Grampus. Fraser's Dolphin ( Lagenodelphis hosei) or Sarawak Dolphin is a Cetacean in the family Delphinidae found in deep waters in the Pacific Ocean The Atlantic White-sided Dolphin ( Lagenorhynchus acutus) is a distinctively coloured Dolphin found in the cool to temperate waters of the North Atlantic Ocean The Dusky Dolphin ( Lagenorhynchus obscurus) is a highly gregarious and acrobatic Dolphin found in coastal waters in the Southern Hemisphere. The Hourglass Dolphin ( Lagenorynchus cruciger) is a small Dolphin found in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters The Pacific White-sided Dolphin ( Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) is a very active dolphin found in the cool to temperate waters of the North Pacific Ocean. The Peale's Dolphin ( Lagenorhynchus australis) is a small Dolphin found in the waters around Tierra del Fuego at the foot of South America. The White-beaked Dolphin ( Lagenorhynchus albirostris) is a Marine mammal belonging to the family Delphinidae (dolphins in the suborder of the Odontoceti The Australian Snubfin Dolphin ( Orcaella heinsohni) is a recently recognised Species of dolphin scientifically described in 2005. The Irrawaddy Dolphin ( Orcaella brevirostris) is a species of Dolphin found near coasts and in estuaries in parts of south-east Asia. The Melon-headed Whale ( Peponocephala electra; other names are many-toothed blackfish and electra dolphin) is a Cetacean of the Oceanic dolphin The Orca or Killer Whale ( Orcinus orca) less commonly Blackfish or Seawolf, is the largest species of the Oceanic dolphin family The Pygmy Killer Whale ( Feresa attenuata) is a small rarely-seen Cetacean of the Oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae The False Killer Whale ( Pseudorca crassidens) is a Cetacean and one of the larger members of the Oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae The pilot whale is either of two Species of Cetacean in the Genus Globicephala. River dolphins are four living species of Dolphin which reside in freshwater rivers and Estuaries. The ( ( Lipotes vexillifer, Lipotes meaning "left behind" Functional extinction is the Extinction of a Species or other Taxon such that it disappears from the Fossil record, or historic The Ganges River Dolphin ( Platanista gangetica gangetica) and Indus River Dolphin ( Platanista gangetica minor) are two sub-species of freshwater The Ganges River Dolphin ( Platanista gangetica gangetica) and Indus River Dolphin ( Platanista gangetica minor) are two sub-species of freshwater The La Plata Dolphin or Franciscana ( Pontoporia blainvillei) is found in coastal Atlantic waters of southeastern South America. They are sometimes called "blackfish".

• Melon-headed Whale, Peponocephala electra
• Killer Whale (Orca), Orcinus orca
• Pygmy Killer Whale, Feresa attenuata
  

  Wolphin Kawili'Kai at the Sea Life Park in Hawaii. A wholphin or wolphin is a rare hybrid, born from a mating of Bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus (mother and a False killer whale
• False Killer Whale, Psudorca crassidens
• Long-finned Pilot Whale, Globicephala melas
• Short-finned Pilot Whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus

Hybrid dolphins

In 1933, three abnormal dolphins were beached off the Irish coast; these appeared to be hybrids between Risso's Dolphin and the Bottlenose Dolphin. Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world In Biology, hybrid has two meanings The first meaning is the result of interbreeding between two animals or plants of different taxa. ^[3] This mating has since been repeated in captivity and a hybrid calf was born. In captivity, a Bottlenose Dolphin and a Rough-toothed Dolphin produced hybrid offspring. ^[4] A Common-Bottlenose hybrid lives at SeaWorld California ^[5] and another one lives at Discovery Cove in Orlando. History Milton C Shedd, Ken Norris, David Demott, and George Millay brought SeaWorld to life yet that was not the initial idea Discovery Cove is a theme park near Orlando Florida where guests can interact with a variety of marine animals most notably Bottlenose dolphins. Orlando is a major City in central Florida, USA and is the County seat of Orange County Florida. Various other dolphin hybrids have also been reported in the wild, such as a Bottlenose-Atlantic Spotted hybrid. ^[6] The best known hybrid however is the Wolphin, a False Killer Whale-Bottlenose Dolphin hybrid. A wholphin or wolphin is a rare hybrid, born from a mating of Bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus (mother and a False killer whale The Wolphin is a fertile hybrid, and two such Wolphins currently live at the Sea Life Park in Hawaii, the first having been born in 1985 from a male False Killer Whale and a female Bottlenose. The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the Wolphins have also been observed in the wild. ^[7]

Evolution and anatomy

The Anatomy of a Dolphin showing its skeleton, major organs and body shape.

Evolution

See also: Evolution of cetaceans

Dolphins, along with whales and porpoises, are descendants of terrestrial mammals, most likely of the Artiodactyl order. The Cetaceans ( Whales Dolphins and Porpoises are descendants of land-living Mammals Their terrestrial origins are specifically indicated The even-toed ungulates form the Mammal order Artiodactyla. They are Ungulates whose weight is borne (if they have more than two toes about This article is about the taxonomic rank for the sequence of species in a taxonomic list see Taxonomic order In scientific classification used The ancestors of the modern day dolphins entered the water roughly fifty million years ago, in the Eocene epoch. The Eocene epoch (558 ± 02 - 339 ± 01 Ma) is a major division of the Geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Palaeogene period in

Hind Limb Buds on Dolphins An embryo of a Spotted Dolphin in the fifth week of development. The hind limbs are present as small bumps (hind limb buds) near the base of the tail. The pin is approximately 1 inch (~2,5 cm) long.

Bottlenose Dolphin with vestigial hind flippers, captured 2006 in Japan.

Modern dolphin skeletons have two small, rod-shaped pelvic bones thought to be vestigial hind legs. In Biology, the skeleton is a strong and often a rigid framework that supports the body of an animal holding it upright and giving it shape and strength (Also skeletal Vestigiality describes homologous characters of Organisms which have lost all or most of their original function in a species through In October 2006 an unusual Bottlenose Dolphin was captured in Japan; it had small fins on each side of its genital slit which scientists believe to be a more pronounced development of these vestigial hind legs. October 2006 was a month that began on a Sunday The month was marked by a nuclear test by North Korea that prompted that passing of Resolution 1718 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. fin is a surface used to produce lift and Thrust or to steer while traveling in Water, air or other Fluid media ^[8]

Anatomy

Dolphins have a streamlined fusiform body, adapted for fast swimming. The tail fin, called the fluke, is used for propulsion, while the pectoral fins together with the entire tail section provide directional control. The Anatomy of Fish is primarily governed by the physical characteristics of Water, which is much denser than air holds a relatively small amount of dissolved The dorsal fin, in those species that have one, provides stability while swimming. A dorsal fin is a Fin located on the backs of some Fishes Whales Dolphins and Porpoises as well as the (extinct

Though it varies per species, basic colouration patterns are shades of grey usually with a lighter underside. It is often combined with lines and patches of different hue and contrast.

The head contains the melon, a round organ used for echolocation. The melon is an oval shaped oily fatty lump of tissue found at the center of the forehead of most Dolphins and Toothed whales (but not Porpoises) located Echolocation, also called biosonar, is the biological Sonar used by several Animals such as Dolphins Shrews most Bats In many species, the jaws are elongated, forming a distinct beak; for some species like the Bottlenose, there is a curved mouth which looks like a fixed smile. Teeth can be very numerous (up to two hundred and fifty) in several species. Dolphins breathe through a blowhole located on top of their head, with the trachea being anterior to the brain. In Biology, a blowhole is the hole at the top of a Cetacean's head through which the animal breathes air The traceartes, or windpipe, is a tube that has an inner diameter of about 20-25 mm and a length of about 10-16 cm in humans In fields of Anatomy, anatomical terms of location are descriptive terms to help identify relative positions or directions within a species The dolphin brain is large and highly complex and is different in structure from most land mammals. Cetacean intelligence denotes the cognitive capabilities of the Cetacean order of mammals and especially the various species of Dolphin.

Unlike most mammals, dolphins do not have hair, but they are born with a few hairs around the tip of their rostrum which they lose shortly after birth, in some cases even before they are born. A rostrum ( Latin for "beak" is an anatomical structure resembling a bird's beak, such as the snout of a Crocodile or Dolphin ^[9] The only exception to this is the Boto river dolphin, which does have some small hairs on the rostrum. ^[10]

Their reproductive organs are located on the underside of the body. Males have two slits, one concealing the penis and one further behind for the anus. The penis (plural penises, penes The anus is an opening at the opposite end of an Animal 's Digestive tract from the Mouth. The female has one genital slit, housing the vagina and the anus. The vagina (from Latin, literally " Sheath " or " Scabbard " is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the Uterus A mammary slit is positioned on either side of the female's genital slit. Mammary glands are the organs that in Mammals produce Milk for the sustenance of the young

Senses

Most dolphins have acute eyesight, both in and out of the water, and their sense of hearing is superior to that of humans. In Psychology, visual perception is the ability to interpret information from Visible light reaching the Eyes The resulting Perception is also Though they have a small ear opening on each side of their head, it is believed that hearing underwater is also if not exclusively done with the lower jaw which conducts the sound vibrations to the middle ear via a fat-filled cavity in the lower jaw bone. The middle ear is the portion of the ear internal to the Eardrum, and external to the Oval window of the Cochlea. Hearing is also used for echolocation, which seems to be an ability all dolphins have. Echolocation, also called biosonar, is the biological Sonar used by several Animals such as Dolphins Shrews most Bats It is believed that their teeth are arranged in a way that works as an array or antenna to receive the incoming sound and make it easier for them to pinpoint the exact location of an object. ^[11] The dolphin's sense of touch is also well-developed, with free nerve endings being densely packed in the skin, especially around the snout, pectoral fins and genital area. However, dolphins lack an olfactory nerve and lobes and thus are believed to have no sense of smell,^[12] but they can taste and do show preferences for certain kinds of fish. The olfactory nerve, or cranial nerve I, is the first of twelve Cranial nerves The specialized Olfactory receptor neurons of the olfactory nerve are located Olfaction (also known as olfactics or smell) refers to the Sense of smell. Taste (or more formally gustation) is a form of direct Chemoreception and is one of the traditional five Senses Since dolphins spend most of their time below the surface normally, just tasting the water could act in a manner analogous to a sense of smell.

Though most dolphins do not have any hair, they do still have hair follicles and it is believed these might still perform some sensory function, though it is unclear what exactly this may be. A hair follicle is part of the Skin that grows Hair by packing old cells together ^[13] The small hairs on the rostrum of the Boto river dolphin are believed to function as a tactile sense however, possibly to compensate for the Boto's poor eyesight. ^[14]

Behaviour

See also: Whale surfacing behaviour

A pod of Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins in the Red Sea

Dolphins are often regarded as one of Earth's most intelligent animals, though it is hard to say just how intelligent dolphins are, as comparisons of species' relative intelligence are complicated by differences in sensory apparatus, response modes, and nature of cognition. Whales exhibit various types of behaviour' when they surface This article describes the different behaviours commonly observed at sea and the possible reasons for The Red Sea is a Salt water Inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. Furthermore, the difficulty and expense of doing experimental work with large aquatics means that some tests which could yield meaningful results still have not been carried out, or have been carried out with inadequate sample size and methodology. Dolphin behaviour has been studied extensively by humans however, both in captivity and in the wild. See the cetacean intelligence article for more details. Cetacean intelligence denotes the cognitive capabilities of the Cetacean order of mammals and especially the various species of Dolphin.

Social behaviour

Dolphins surfing at Snapper Rocks, Queensland, Australia. Snapper Rocks is a small rocky outcrop on the northern side of Point Danger at the southern end of Queensland 's Gold Coast. Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.

Dolphins are social, living in pods (also called "schools") of up to a dozen individuals. In places with a high abundance of food, pods can join temporarily, forming an aggregation called a superpod; such groupings may exceed a thousand dolphins. The individuals communicate using a variety of clicks, whistles and other vocalizations. They also use ultrasonic sounds for echolocation. Membership in pods is not rigid; interchange is common. However, the cetaceans can establish strong bonds between each other. This leads to them staying with injured or ill individuals, even actively helping them to breathe by bringing them to the surface if needed. ^[15] This altruistic behaviour does not appear to be limited to their own species however. Altruism is selfless concern for the welfare of others It is a traditional Virtue in many cultures and central to many religious traditions A dolphin in New Zealand that goes by the name of Moko has been observed to seemingly help guide a female Pygmy Sperm Whale together with her calf out of shallow water where they had stranded several times. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The pygmy sperm whale ( Kogia breviceps) is one of three Species of Toothed whale in the Sperm whale family. ^[16] They have also been known to seemingly protect swimmers from sharks by swimming circles around them. ^[17][18]

Dolphins also show cultural behaviour, something long believed to be a quality unique to humans. Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic In May 2005, a discovery was made in Australia which shows this cultural aspect of dolphin behaviour: Some dolphins, such as the Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) teach their young to use tools. The Bottlenose Dolphin is one of the most common and well-known Dolphins. The dolphins break sponges off and cover their snouts with them thus protecting their snouts while foraging. The sponges or poriferans (from Latin porus "pore" and ferre "to bear" are Animals A snout is the protruding portion of an animal's face consisting of its nose mouth and jaw This knowledge of how to use a tool is mostly transferred from mothers to daughters, unlike simian primates, where the knowledge is generally passed on to both sexes. The simians ( Infraorder Simiiformes) are the "higher Primates quot familiar to most people the Monkeys and the Apes including A primate is a member of the biological order Primates ( Latin: "prime first rank" the group that contains Lemurs the Aye-aye The technology to use sponges as mouth protection is not genetically inherited but a taught behaviour. ^[19] Another such behaviour was discovered amongst river dolphins in Brazil, where some male dolphins apparently use objects such as weeds and sticks as part of a sexual display. ^[20]

Dolphins are known to engage in acts of aggression towards each other. The older a male dolphin is, the more likely his body is covered with scars ranging in depth from teeth marks made by other dolphins. It is suggested that male dolphins engage in such acts of aggression for the same reasons as humans: disputes between companions or even competition for other females. Acts of aggression can become so intense that targeted dolphins are known to go into exile, leaving their communities as a result of losing a fight with other dolphins.

Male Bottlenose Dolphins have been known to engage in infanticide. In Animals infanticide involves the Killing of young Offspring by a mature animal of its own Species, and is studied in Zoology Dolphins have also been known to kill porpoises for reasons which are not fully understood, as porpoises generally do not share the same fish diet as dolphins and are therefore not competitors for food supplies. Porpoises are Small Cetaceans of the Family Phocoenidae; they are related to Whales and Dolphins They are distinct from dolphins ^[21]

Reproduction and sexuality

Dolphin copulation happens belly to belly and though many species engage in lengthy foreplay, the actual act is usually only brief, but may be repeated several times within a short timespan. Sexual intercourse, in its biological sense is the act in which the male reproductive organ (in humans and other higher animals enters the female reproductive tract In Human sexual behavior, foreplay is a set of intimate psychological and physical acts between two or more people meant to increase Sexual arousal. The gestation period varies per species; for the small Tucuxi dolphin, this period is around 11 to 12 months, while for the Orca the gestation period is around 17 months. The gestation period in a Viviparous Animal is the length of its Gestation. They usually become sexually active at a young age, even before reaching sexual maturity. Sexual maturity is the age or stage when an Organism can reproduce. The age at which sexual maturity is reached varies per species and gender.

Dolphins are known to have sex for reasons other than reproduction, sometimes also engaging in acts of a homosexual nature. Homosexuality refers to sexual behavior with or attraction to people of the same sex or to a Homosexual orientation. ^[22] Various dolphin species have been known to engage in sexual behaviour with other dolphin species,^[22] this also having resulted in various hybrid dolphin species as mentioned earlier. Sexual encounters may be violent, with male dolphins sometimes showing aggressive behaviour towards both females and other male dolphins. ^[22][23] Occasionally, dolphins will also show sexual behaviour towards other animals, including humans. ^[24]

Feeding

Various methods of feeding exist, not just between species but also within a species. Various methods may be employed, some techniques being used by only a single dolphin population. Fish and squid are the main source of food for most dolphin species, but the False Killer Whale and the Killer Whale also feed on other marine mammals.

One feeding method employed by many species is herding, where a pod will control a school of fish while individual members take turns plowing through the school, feeding. The tightly packed school of fish is commonly known as a bait ball. Coralling is a method where fish are chased to shallow water where they are more easily captured. In South Carolina, the Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin takes this one step further with what has become known as strand feeding, where the fish are driven onto mud banks and retrieved from there. South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America. ^[25] In some places, Orcas will also come up to the beach to capture sea lions. For other uses of the term "sea lion" see Sea lion (disambiguation. Some species also whack fish with their fluke, stunning them and sometimes sending fish clear out of the water.

Reports of cooperative human-dolphin fisheries date back to the ancient Roman author and natural philosopher Pliny the Elder. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC For the current in the 19th century German idealism see Naturphilosophie Natural philosophy or the philosophy of nature (from Gaius or Caius Plinius Secundus, ( AD 23 – August 25, AD 79 better known as Pliny the Elder, was an ancient Author ^[26] A modern human-dolphin fishery still takes place in Laguna, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Other Laguna has a few schools or a collegiate a high school churches and squares (ˈsɐ̃ta kataˈɾina is a state in southern Brazil with one of the highest standards of living in the country |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Here, dolphins drive fish towards fishermen waiting along the shore and give them a signal when they can cast their nets. The dolphins then feed off the fish that manage to escape the nets. ^[27][28]

Vocalizations

Dolphins are capable of making a broad range of sounds using nasal airsacs located just below the blowhole. Roughly three categories of sounds can be identified however; frequency modulated sounds which are usually just called whistles; burst-pulsed sounds and clicks. Whistles are used by dolphins to communicate, though the nature and extent of their ability to communicate in this way is not known. Research has shown however that at least some dolphin species are capable of sending identity information to each other using a signature whistle; a whistle that refers specifically to the identity of a certain dolphin. The burst-pulsed sounds are also used for communication, but again the nature and extent of communication possible this way is not known. ^[29] The clicks are directional and used by dolphins for echolocation and are often in a short series called a click train, the rate increasing when approaching an object of interest. Dolphin echolocation clicks are amongst the loudest sounds made by animals in the sea. Whale song is the Sound made by Whales to communicate. The word " Song " is used in particular to describe the pattern of regular ^[30]

Pacific White-Sided Dolphins breaching

Jumping and playing

Dolphins occasionally leap above the water surface, sometimes performing acrobatic figures (e. g. the Spinner Dolphin). The Spinner Dolphin ( Stenella longirostris) is a small Dolphin found in off-shore tropical waters around the world Scientists are not always quite certain about the purpose of this behaviour and the reason for it may vary; it could be to locate schools of fish by looking at above-water signs like feeding birds, they could be communicating to other dolphins to join a hunt, attempting to dislodge parasites, or simply doing it for fun.

Play is a fairly important part of dolphins' lives, and they can be observed playing with seaweed or play-fighting with other dolphins. Seaweed is a loose colloquial term encompassing macroscopic Multicellular, benthic marine Algae. At times they also harass other local creatures, like seabirds and turtles. Seabirds are Birds that have adapted to life within the marine environment Turtles are Reptiles of the Order Testudines (all living turtles belong to the Crown group Chelonia) most of Dolphins also seem to enjoy riding waves and frequently 'surf' coastal swells and the bow waves of boats. Occasionally, they're also willing to playfully interact with human swimmers.

Sleeping

Because dolphins need to come up to the surface to breathe and have to be alert for possible predators, they do not sleep in the same way land mammals do. Sleep is a Natural state of bodily rest observed throughout the animal kingdom Generally, dolphins sleep with only one brain hemisphere in slow-wave sleep at a time, thus maintaining some amount of consciousness required to breathe and keeping one eye open to keep a watch out for possible threats. A cerebral hemisphere ( hemispherium cerebrale) is defined as one of the two regions of the Brain that are delineated by the body's median plane. Slow-wave sleep (SWS is stages three and four of Non-rapid eye movement sleep. The earlier stages of sleep can be observed in both hemispheres of the brain, however. ^[31][32][33]

However, in captivity, dolphins have been observed to seemingly enter a fully asleep state where both eyes are closed and the animal does not respond to mild external stimuli, respiration being automatic with a tail kick reflex keeping the blowhole above the water. A reflex action, also known as a reflex, is an involuntary and almost instant movement in response to stimulus. If not needed to keep the blowhole above the water, the tail kick reflex may subside. Dolphins kept unconscious using anesthetics initially show a similar tail kick reflex. Anesthesia, or anaesthesia (see spelling differences; from Greek grc αν- an-, "without" and grc αἲσθησις ^[34] Though a similar state has been observed with wild Sperm Whales, it is not known if this state is ever reached in the wild amongst any dolphin species. The Sperm Whale ( Physeter macrocephalus or Physeter catodon) is the largest of all Toothed whales and largest living toothed animal ^[35]

Threats to dolphins

Natural threats to dolphins

Except for mankind (discussed below), dolphins have few natural enemies, some species or specific populations having none at all making them apex predators. For most smaller species of dolphins, only a few larger species of shark such as the bull shark, dusky shark, tiger shark and great white shark are a potential risk, especially for calves. The bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas, also known as the bull whaler, Zambezi shark or unofficially known as Zambi in Africa and Nicaragua The dusky shark, Carcharhinus obscurus, is one of the larger species of Shark, reaching 350 kg The tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvier, the fourth largest predatory Shark (after the Great white shark, Greenland shark, and Pacific The great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, also known as white pointer, white shark, or white death, is an exceptionally large lamniform Some of the larger dolphin species such as Orcas may also prey on some of the smaller dolphin species, but this seems rare. Dolphins may also suffer from a wide variety of diseases and parasites. A disease is an abnormal condition of an organism that impairs bodily functions and can be deadly Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between Organisms of different Species.

Human threats to dolphins

See also: Dolphin drive hunting

Dead Atlantic White-Sided Dolphins in Hvalba on the Faroe Islands, killed in a drive hunt. whaling Dolphin drive hunting, also called dolphin drive fishing, is a method of Hunting Dolphins and occasionally other small Cetaceans by driving Hvalba is one of the larger Villages in the Faroe Islands. Population: 654 Postal code (Zip FO 850 The Faroe Islands or Faeroe Islands or simply Faroe(s or Faeroes (Føroyar meaning " Sheep Islands" Færøerne Old Norse

Some dolphin species face an uncertain future, especially some of the river dolphin species such as the Amazon River Dolphin, and the Ganges and Yangtze River Dolphin, all of which are critically or seriously endangered. The ( ( Lipotes vexillifer, Lipotes meaning "left behind" A 2006 survey found no individuals of the Yangtze River Dolphin, leading to the conclusion that the species is now functionally extinct. Functional extinction is the Extinction of a Species or other Taxon such that it disappears from the Fossil record, or historic ^[36]

Contamination of environment - the oceans, seas, and rivers - is an issue of concern, especially pesticides, heavy metals, plastics, and other industrial and agricultural pollutants which do not disintegrate rapidly in the environment are reducing dolphin populations, and resulting in dolphins building up unusually high levels of contaminants. A pesticide is a substance or mixture of substances used to kill a pest. Injuries or deaths due to collisions with boats, especially their propellers, are also common. A propeller is essentially a type of fan which transmits power by converting Rotational motion into Thrust for propulsion of a vehicle such as an

Various fishing methods, most notably purse seine fishing for tuna and the use of drift and gill nets, results in a large amounts of dolphins being killed inadvertently. Tuna, are several Species of ocean-dwelling Fish in the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. ^[37] Accidental by-catch in gillnets and incidental captures in antipredator nets used in marine fish farms are common and poses a risk for mainly local dolphin populations. ^[38][39] In some parts of the world such as Taiji in Japan and the Faroe Islands, dolphins are traditionally considered as food, and killed in harpoon or drive hunts. is a town located in Higashimuro District, Wakayama, Japan. As of 2007, the town has an estimated Population of 3444 and a A harpoon is a long Spear -like instrument used in Fishing to catch fish or other large aquatic animals such as Whales It accomplishes this task by impaling whaling Dolphin drive hunting, also called dolphin drive fishing, is a method of Hunting Dolphins and occasionally other small Cetaceans by driving

However, a number of organizations rescue and rehabilitate sick, wounded, stranded or orphaned dolphins, or work on dolphin conservation and welfare. Wildlife rehabilitation is the process of removing from the wild and caring for injured orphaned or sick wild animals

Human–dolphin relationships

Mythology

A sketch of the goddess Ganga on her Vahana (mount) Makara

See also: Dolphins in mythology

Dolphins have long played a role in human culture. Vâhana or a Hindu vehicle, sometimes called a mount, is an animal mythical entity or Chimera (or sometimes a divine attribute closely to Hindu mythology, Makara, a mythical creature is the Vahana of Ganga and Varuna. Dolphins appear in a number of Greek myths, invariably as helpers of humankind Dolphins are common in Greek mythology and there are many coins from the time which feature a man or boy riding on the back of a dolphin. Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance The Ancient Greeks treated them with welcome; a ship spotting dolphins riding in their wake was considered a good omen for a smooth voyage. The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca Dolphins also seem to have been important to the Minoans, judging by artistic evidence from the ruined palace at Knossos. The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age civilization which arose on the island of Crete. Knossos (alternative spellings Knossus, Cnossus, Greek Κνωσός kno̞ˈso̞s also known as the Knossos Palace is the largest In Hindu mythology, the Ganges River Dolphin is associated with Ganga, the deity of the Ganges river. Hindu mythology is the large body of Mythology related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent

Entertainment

See also: Dolphinarium

The famous Orca Keiko from the Free Willy movies being prepared for transport. A dolphinarium is an Aquarium for Dolphins The dolphins are usually kept in a large pool though occasionally they may be kept in pens in the open sea either

In more recent times, the 1963 Flipper movie and the subsequent popular Flipper television series, contributed to the popularity of dolphins in Western society. Flipper is an American feature film (1963 written by Ricou Browning andJack Cowden and directed by James B Flipper is an American Television program first Broadcast on NBC from September 18, 1964 until April 15 The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings The series, created by Ivan Tors, portrayed a dolphin in a friendly relationship with two boys, Sandy and Bud; a kind of seagoing Lassie. Ivan Tors ( June 12, 1916 - June 4, 1983) was a Hungarian Playwright, Screenwriter, and film Lassie is an Emmy Award -winning American Television series that follows the adventures of a female rough collie named Lassie Flipper, a Bottlenose Dolphin, understood English commands unusually well and was a marked hero. A second Flipper movie was made in 1996, which was based on the story of the original movie. Flipper is a 1996 Remake of the 1963 film of the same name, starring Elijah Wood. Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) A Bottlenose Dolphin also played a prominent role in the 1990s science fiction television series seaQuest DSV in which the animal, named Darwin, could communicate with English speakers using a vocoder, a fictional invention which translated the clicks and whistles to English and back. Science fiction first appeared on Television during the Golden age of science fiction, first in Britain (UK and then in the United States seaQuest DSV was an American Science fiction television series created by Rockne S

A young couple being entertained by a trained Bottlenose Dolphin in Puerto Plata, Dominican republic. The Dominican Republic ( Spanish: República Dominicana;) is a nation located in the Caribbean region and shares the island of Hispaniola with

More well known from this time period is probably the movie Free Willy however, which made famous the Orca playing Willy, Keiko. Free Willy is a 1993 Family film directed by Simon Wincer, and released by Warner Bros Keiko ( 1977 - December 12, 2003) was an Orca (or killer whale who starred in the first of three Free Willy movies The 1977 horror movie Orca paints a less friendly picture of the animal. Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays Horror films are Movies that strive to elicit Fear, Horror and terror responses from viewers Orca is a 1977 Horror film directed by Michael Anderson and produced by Dino De Laurentiis and starring Richard Harris Here, a male Orca takes revenge on fishermen after the killing of his mate. In the 1973 movie The Day of the Dolphin trained dolphins are kidnapped and made to perform a naval military assassination using explosives. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. The Day of the Dolphin is a 1973 science fiction - thriller film directed by Mike Nichols and starring George C AssassiNation is the sixth album by Krisiun, released in 2006 on Century Media.

Bottlenose Dolphin with a fish at The Mirage

The renewed popularity of dolphins in the 1960s resulted in the appearance of many dolphinariums around the world, which have made dolphins accessible to the public. For the band see The Mirage (band The Mirage is a 3044 room Hotel and Casino resort located on the Las Vegas Strip A dolphinarium is an Aquarium for Dolphins The dolphins are usually kept in a large pool though occasionally they may be kept in pens in the open sea either Though criticism and more strict animal welfare laws have forced many dolphinariums to close their doors, hundreds still exist around the world attracting a large amount of visitors. Animal welfare refers to the viewpoint that it is morally acceptable for humans to use nonhuman animals for food in animal research, as clothing and in entertainment In the United States, best known are the SeaWorld marine mammal parks, and their common Orca stage name Shamu, which they have trademarked, has become well known. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A marine mammal park (sometimes Oceanarium) is a commercial theme park or Aquarium where Marine mammals such as Dolphins A stage name, also called a screen name, is a Pseudonym used by Performers and Entertainers such as -- 72200118193 ( talk) 0032 12 October 2008 (UTC---- Bold text [Link title]== [[ImageHeadline text]][[MediaExample A trademark or trade mark, represented by the symbols ™ and ®, or mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual Southwest Airlines, an American airline, has painted three of their Boeing 737 aircraft in Shamu colours as an advertisement for the parks and have been flying with such a livery on various aircraft since 1988. Southwest Airlines Co ( is an American low-cost Airline based in Dallas Texas, with its largest focus city at Las Vegas ' McCarran WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar)

Ecco the Dolphin is a well known video game series. Ecco the Dolphin (referred to on the title screen as simply " Ecco " is an action-adventure Video game released in Ecco the Dolphin is the collective name given to a series of Action-adventure Science fiction Video games developed by Novotrade International The games are named after their main character, Ecco, a young Bottlenose Dolphin. The Ecco the Dolphin games hinge on the idea that cetaceans are sapient beings and have their own underwater society.

A well known American National Football League (NFL) team is named the Miami Dolphins. The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league. The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami Florida Metropolitan Area. Their logo depicts an aqua-coloured Bottlenose Dolphin wearing an American football helmet and jumping in front of a coral-coloured sunburst. American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with

Therapy

Dolphins are an increasingly popular choice of animal-assisted therapy for psychological problems and developmental disabilities. Animal-assisted therapy (AAT is a type of therapy that involves an Animal with specific characteristics becoming a fundamental part of a person's treatment For example, a 2005 study with 30 participants found it was an effective treatment for mild to moderate depression. Major depressive disorder, also known as major depression, unipolar depression, unipolar disorder, clinical depression, or simply depression ^[40] However, this study was criticized on several grounds; for example, it is not known whether dolphins are more effective than common pets. ^[41] Reviews of this and other published dolphin-assisted therapy (DAT) studies have found important methodological flaws and have concluded that there is no compelling scientific evidence that DAT is a legitimate therapy or that it affords any more than fleeting improvements in mood. See also Critic. A review is an evaluation of a publication such as a movie, Video game, Musical composition ^[42]

Military

See also: Military dolphin

A number of militaries have employed dolphins for various purposes from finding mines to rescuing lost or trapped humans. A military dolphin is a Cetacean trained for military uses The United States and Russian militaries have trained and employed Oceanic dolphins Such military dolphins, however, drew scrutiny during the Vietnam War when rumors circulated that dolphins were being trained by the United States Navy to kill Vietnamese divers. A military dolphin is a Cetacean trained for military uses The United States and Russian militaries have trained and employed Oceanic dolphins ^[43] Dolphins are still being trained by the United States Navy however as part of the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program. The US Navy Marine Mammal Program ( NMMP) is a program administered by the U The Russian military is believed to have closed its marine mammal program in the early 1990s. The 1990s collectively refers to the years between and including 1990 and 1999 In 2000 the press reported that dolphins trained to kill by the Soviet Navy had been sold to Iran. The Soviet Navy ( Russian: Военно-морской флот СССР Voyenno-morskoy flot SSSR, literally "Naval military forces of the USSR" was For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. ^[44]

Literature

Dolphins are also common in contemporary literature, especially science fiction novels. A military role for dolphins is found in William Gibson's short story Johnny Mnemonic, in which cyborg dolphins are used in war-time by the military to find submarines and, after the war, by a group of revolutionaries to decode encrypted information. William Ford Gibson (born March 17 1948 is an American - Canadian writer who has been called the "noir prophet" of the Cyberpunk subgenre A cyborg is a Cybernetic Organism ( ie, an organism that has both artificial and natural systems Dolphins play a role as sentient patrollers of the sea enhanced with a deeper empathy toward humans in Anne McCaffrey's The Dragonriders of Pern series. Anne Inez McCaffrey (born April 1, 1926) is an American Science fiction Author best known for her Dragonriders The Dragonriders of Pern is an extensive Science fiction / Fantasy series of novels and short stories primarily written by Anne McCaffrey. In the Known Space universe of author Larry Niven, dolphins also play a significant role as fully-recognised "legal entities". Known Space is the fictional setting of several Science fiction novels and short stories written by author Larry Niven. Laurence van Cott Niven (born April 30, 1938 Los Angeles California) is a US Science fiction author. More humorous is The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in which dolphins are the second most intelligent creatures on Earth (after mice, and followed by humans) and tried in vain to warn humans of the impending destruction of the planet. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction comedy series However, their behaviour was misinterpreted as playful acrobatics. Acrobatics (from Greek Akros, high and bat, walking is one of the Performing arts, and is also practiced as a Sport. Their story is told in So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish. So Long and Thanks for All the Fish ( 1984, ISBN 0-345-39183-7 is the fourth book of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series written Much more serious is their major role (along with chimpanzees) in David Brin's Uplift series. Chimpanzee (often shortened to chimp) is the common name for the two extant Species of Apes in the Genus Pan. Glen David Brin, PhD (born October 6, 1950) is an American scientist and award-winning author of Science fiction. The Uplift Universe is a Fictional universe created by Science fiction writer David Brin. A talking Dolphin called "Howard" helps Hagbard Celine and his submarine crew fight the evil Illuminati in Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson's Illuminatus Trilogy. The German hacker Karl Koch also used the Nickname Hagbard Freeman Hagbard Celine, H "Illuminata" redirects here For the 1998 John Turturro film see Illuminata (film. Robert Anton Wilson or RAW (born Robert Edward Wilson, January 18, 1932 &ndash January 11, 2007) was an American The Illuminatus! Trilogy is a series of three novels written by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson purportedly between 1969 and 1971

Dolphins also appear frequently in non-science fiction literature however. In the book The Music of Dolphins by author Karen Hesse, a girl is raised by dolphins from the age of four until she is discovered by the coast guard. The Music of Dolphins, by Karen Hesse, is a children's book that follows the story of Mila (translated as Spanish for "miracle" although this Karen Hesse (1952 -) is an American author of Children's literature and literature for young adults, often with historical settings A coast guard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea Fantasy author Ken Grimwood wrote dolphins into his 1995 novel Into the Deep about a marine biologist struggling to crack the code of dolphin intelligence, including entire chapters written from the viewpoint of his dolphin characters. Kenneth Milton Grimwood ( February 27, 1944 – June 6, 2003) was an American author who was born in Dothan Alabama. Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Marine biology is the scientific study of living Organisms in the Ocean or other marine or Brackish bodies of water Cetacean intelligence denotes the cognitive capabilities of the Cetacean order of mammals and especially the various species of Dolphin. In this book, humans and dolphins are capable of communicating via telepathy. Telepathy ( Greek τηλε tele meaning "distant" and πάθεια patheia meaning "to be affected by" describes the purported transfer

References

External links

Further information:

• Weekly Radio Segments from With the Wild Things: Dolphins
• OM Place - pictorial comparative chart of various dolphin species.
• Dolphins and their significance in world mythology.

Dolphin conservation and research:

• The Whale & Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS)
• The Dolphin Institute
• The Dolphin research center
• Digital Library of Dolphin Development, Cetacean origins, Thewissen Lab
• The Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute
• The Oceania Project, Caring for Whales and Dolphins

Dolphin news:

• Tursiops.org: Current Cetacean-related news

Dolphin photos:

• Red Sea Spinner Dolphin - Photo gallery
• PBS NOVA: Dolphins: Close Encounters
• David's Dolphin Images
• Images of Wild Dolphins in the Red Sea
• National Geographic