The Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii ) is a species of humpback dolphin that is found in coastal areas of West Africa.
It is regarded as critically endangered by the IUCN.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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PiscivoresA piscivore is a carnivorous animal that eats primarily fish. Piscivorous is equivalent to the Greek-derived word ichthyophagous. Fish were the die...
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NatatorialNatatorial animals are those adapted for swimming. Some fish use their pectoral fins as the primary means of locomotion, sometimes termed labriform...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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PolygynyPolygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male.
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PolygamyPolygamy is the practice of breeding with multiple partners. When a male breeds with more than one female at the same time – it is called polygyny....
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withApart from its geographical range, it is distinguishable from other humpback dolphins by its amount of vertebrae (e.g. one less than the Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphin) and its number of teeth (26 to 31 pairs). They can also be distinguished by a robust body with a well-defined rostrum. They are typically slate gray on the back and sides, fading to light gray ventrally. The dorsal fin is small, slightly falcate, and triangular, and sits on a distinctive and well developed dorsal hump.
Birth weight – at least 22 lb (10 kg)
Adult weight – 550-630 lb (250–285 kg)
This species is endemic to the tropical to subtropical west coast of Africa in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, from western Sahara to Angola. It is mainly found in shallow coastal and estuarine waters, usually less than 66 feet (20 m) deep.
This species is known to be shy; it does not bow-ride and aerial displays are rarely seen. The groups usually range from 1-8 animals, but gatherings of up to 20-40 animals have been observed. In Angola and Guinea, some individuals appear to exhibit high site fidelity and strong association patterns.
Groups generally forage close to shore in shallow waters and often within the surf zone. They appear to feed mainly on inshore schooling fish such as mullet, though a variety of coastal fish and crustacean species are also known prey items. These dolphins tend to feed in small bays, sheltered waters behind reef-breaks and in areas off dry river mouths, while traveling occurs mainly along exposed coastlines.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...