Pantropical Spotted Dolphin
Stenella attenuata
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderCetacea
- FamilyDelphinidae (Oceanic Dolphins)
- GenusStenella (Side-striped Dolphins)
- SpeciesStenella attenuata (Pantropical Spotted Dolphin)
About the Pantropical Spotted Dolphin
The pantropical spotted dolphin (Stenella attenuata) is a species of dolphin found in all the world's temperate and tropical oceans. The species was beginning to come under threat due to the killing of millions of individuals in tuna purse seines. In the 1980s, the rise of "dolphin-friendly" tuna capture methods saved millions of the species in the eastern Pacific Ocean and it is now one of the most abundant dolphin species in the world.
The species was first described by John Gray in 1846. Gray's initial analysis included the Atlantic spotted dolphin in this species. They are now regarded as separate. Both the genus and specific names come from Latin words meaning thin or thinning.
Two subspecies of the pantropical spotted dolphin are recognized: S. a. attenuata or the offshore pantropical spotted dolphin, found worldwide in tropical waters S. a. graffmani or the coastal pantropical spotted dolphin, found in coastal waters in the eastern tropical Pacific
Another unnamed subspecies, which inhabits inland Hawaiian waters, was recognized in Rice (1998)'s overview of marine mammal taxonomy. The pantropical spotted dolphin varies significantly in size... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Cabo Pulmo National Park
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coiba National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 2 | Piedras Blancas National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 3 | Raja Ampat | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 4 | Corcovado National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 5 | Manuel Antonio National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 6 | Marino Ballena National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 7 | Machalilla National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 8 | Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 9 | Cabo Pulmo National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 10 | Las Baulas Marine National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 11 | Santa Rosa National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 12 | Taroko National Park | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | |
| 13 | Darién National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 14 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |