PHYLUM: Chordata
CLASS: Mammalia
ORDER: Cetacea
FAMILY: Delphinidae
GENUS: Sotalia
SPECIES: fluviatilis
TOOTHED or TOOTHLESS (BALEEN): Toothed
FRESHWATER, SALTERWATER or BRACKISH: Salt and freshwater
HABITAT: Rivers, lakes and warm coastal marine waters of South and Central America
LENGTH (maximum): 5-7 Ft
WEIGHT (maximum): 104-117lbs
RELATIVE SPECIES: Franciscana, Bottlenose Dolphins
NEIGHBORING SPECIES: Franciscana, Amazon river dolphin
PREDATORS: Humans
THREATS: River dams, trapped in fishing gear, boat traffic, pollution.
DIET: 28 species of fish
MANNER OF FEEDING: Follow prey into shallow water and then surface to eat it.
BEHAVIOR: Small close-knit groups. Likes to somersault, spy hop, leap, splash and surf on the wakes from boats.
REPRODUCTION: Gestation is 10 months. Give birth according to river flood season, give birth when there is a large supply of food.
LIFE SPAN: Unknown
COOL/GROSS/WEIRD:
- There are 2 subspecies, one lives in the ocean and the other lives is rivers and lakes.
- The freshwater species is smaller and is slightly pink.
SOURCES:
- Knopf, Alfred A. Guide to Marine Mammals of the World.Random House. 2002
-TSF-
