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Dolphin, the first thing that come to my mind when i hear about this sea creature is 'help'. Why ? because this aquatic mammal is really known for its kindness to help people in the water. But is it all you know about dolphin ? if its all, then you go to the right page, because here I'm going to explain more information about dolphin!

Dolphin or Delphinus is a common name of aquatic mammals within the infraorder Cetacea. So, where does the dolphin come from? According to its scientific classification, there’s 6 levels oof classification. It is kingdom, phylum, class, order, infraorder and parvorder. Here’s dolphin’s

Kingdom         :  Animalia

Phylum            :  Chordata

Class                :  Mammalia

Order               :  Artiodactyla

Infraorder        :  Cetacea

Parvorder        :  Odontoceti

And the groups included :  Delphinidae, Inioidea, Lipotoidea, Platanistoidea

There’s another, they called it “Cladistically included but traditionally excluded taxa” :  Monodontidae, Phocoenidae, Physeteroidea, Ziphioidea.

The term dolphin usually refers to the extant families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), and Pontoporiidae (the brackish dolphins), and the extinct Lipotidae (baiji or Chinese river dolphin). There are 40 extant species named as dolphins.

Dolphins range in size from the 1.7 m (5.6 ft) long and 50 kg (110 lb) . Several species exhibit sexual dimorphism, in that the males are larger than females. They have streamlined bodies and two limbs that are modified into flippers. Though not quite as flexible as seals, some dolphins can travel at 55.5 km/h (34.5 mph). Dolphins use their conical shaped teeth to capture fast moving prey. They have well-developed hearing which is adapted for both air and water and is so well developed that some can survive even if they are blind. Some species are well adapted for diving to great depths. They have a layer of fat, or blubber, under the skin to keep warm in the cold water.

Oceanic dolphins or Delphinidae are a widely distributed family of dolphins that live in the sea. Thirty extant species are described. They include several big species whose common names contain "whale" rather than "dolphin", such as the killer whale and the pilot whales. Delphinidae is a family within the superfamily Delphinoidea, which also includes the porpoises (Phocoenidae) and the Monodontidae (beluga whale and narwhal). River dolphins are relatives of the Delphinoidea.

Oceanic dolphins range in size from the 5.6-foot (1.7 m)-long and 110-pound (50 kg) Maui's dolphin to the 31-foot (9.4 m) and 11-short-ton (10.0 t) killer whale, the largest known dolphin

Platanistidae is a family of river dolphins containing the extant South Asian river dolphin but also extinct relatives from marine deposits in the Neogene.

The Amazon river dolphin, Yangtze river dolphin, and franciscana were once thought to belong to Platanistidae (e.g. Simpson, 1945), but cladistic and DNA studies beginning in the 1990s showed that the former three taxa are more closely related to Delphinoidea than to the South Asian river dolphin.  The extinct odontocete families Allodelphinidae and Squalodelphinidae are closely related to Platanistidae. Fossils from this clade have been found in deposits in North and South America, Europe, and Central Asia.

Iniidae is a family of river dolphins containing one living genus, Inia, and four extinct genera. The extant genus inhabits the river basins of South America, but the family formerly had a wider presence across the Atlantic Ocean.

Iniidae are highly morphologically different from marine dolphins by way of adaptations suited to their freshwater riverine habitat. They also display a high amount of sexual dimorphism in the form of color and size. Seasonal movement between flooded plains and rivers is common, due to the variation of seasonal rain. There has been little research done on the family, in particular the species aside from the Amazon river dolphin.

 La Plata dolphin, franciscana or toninha (Pontoporia blainvillei) is a species of dolphin found in coastal Atlantic waters of southeastern South America. It is a member of the river dolphin group and the only one that lives in the ocean and saltwater estuaries, rather than inhabiting exclusively freshwater systems. Commercialized areas that create agricultural runoffs and/or industrialized zones can affect the health of the La Plata dolphin, especially in regards to their contributions of waste and pollution, which can lead to habitat degradation and poisoned food among other concerns.

Lipotidae is a family of river dolphins containing the functionally extinct baiji and the fossil genus Parapontoporia. The genus Prolipotes, which is based on a mandible fragment from Neogene coastal deposits in Guangxi, China, has been classified as an extinct relative of the baiji, but is dubious. The putative kentriodontid "Lophocetus" pappus is a possible relative of Lipotidae.

 And there are 40 extant species more named as dolphins.

Although dolphins are widespread, most species prefer the warmer waters of the tropic zones, but some, like the right whale dolphin, prefer colder climates. Dolphins feed largely on fish and squid, but a few, like the killer whale, feed on large mammals, like seals. Male dolphins typically mate with multiple females every year, but females only mate every two to three years. Calves are typically born in the spring and summer months and females bear all the responsibility for raising them. Mothers of some species fast and nurse their young for a relatively long period of time. Dolphins produce a variety of vocalizations, usually in the form of clicks and whistles.

Dolphins are sometimes hunted in places such as Japan, in an activity known as dolphin drive hunting. Besides drive hunting, they also face threats from bycatch, habitat loss, and marine pollution. Dolphins have been depicted in various cultures worldwide. Dolphins occasionally feature in literature and film, as in the film series Free Willy. Dolphins are sometimes kept in captivity and trained to perform tricks. The most common dolphin species in captivity is the bottlenose dolphin, while there are around 60 captive killer whales.

Well, you guys, what I can conclude is Dolphin such a lovely animal just don’t catch them for your ego, Its animals and it needs is original habitat to live peacefully. You can enjoy them at zoo tho!

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