PHYLUM: Chordata
CLASS: Mammalia
ORDER: Cetacea
FAMILY: Pontoporiidae
GENUS: Pontoporia
SPECIES: blainvillei
TOOTHED or TOOTHLESS (BALEEN): baleen
FRESHWATER, SALTERWATER or BRACKISH: Saltwater
HABITAT: East coast of South America
LENGTH (maximum): 5-6Ft
WEIGHT (maximum): 95-115 lbs
RELATIVE SPECIES: Tucuxi
OTHER NAMES: La Plata Dolphin, Franciscana
NEIGHBORING SPECIES: Burmeister’s Porpoise and Tucuxi
PREDATORS: Humans, sharks
THREATS: Entanglement in fishing gear, pollution, habitat degradation
DIET: 24 species of fish. Usually small bottom dwellers such as croakers and weakfish.
MANNER OF FEEDING: Bottom foraging
BEHAVIOR: Travel in groups of about 15 of related individuals. No aerial displays. Inconspicuous at the surface
REPRODUCTION: Sexually mature at 4 or 5 years. Gestation is 10-11 months. Calving lasts for 9 months but the calves start to eat solid food at 3 months.
LIFE SPAN: 15-20 Years
COOL/GROSS/WEIRD:
- They have the longest beak of any cetacean but are the smallest dolphin.
- Can live in the ocean and rivers.
SOURCES:
- Knopf, Alfred A. Guide to Marine Mammals of the World.Random House. 2002
- http://www.cms.int/reports/small_cetaceans/data/P_blainvillei/p_blainvillei.htm
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/17978/0
-TSF-
