Striped Dolphins

This species is found in warm temperate, tropical and subtropical waters worldwide.

Classification: Stenella coeruleoalba was described by Meyen in 1833.
Coerulealba is derived from the Latin caeruleus ('sky-blue') and albus ('white').

Local Names: Euphrosyne Dolphin; Whitebelly; Blue-White Dolphin; Meyen's Dolphin; Gray's Dolphin; Streaker Porpoise.

Description: This dolphin is well-shaped, with no remarkable features, and a prominant beak.
Its dorsal fin is tall and curved, with a dark blue-grey cape.

The flanks are a lighter grey, leading to pink-white undersides and black flippers.
There are a number of dark stripes, one running from the eye to the anus (between the grey and white areas), and others running from the eye backwards onto the white ventral surface, often linking with the flipper.
The grey on the flanks forks upward and away, curving onto the dorsal cape just before the fin.
Adults measure between 1.8 and 2.5m, and weigh from 90-150kg.

Recognition at sea: The Striped Dolphin is easy to identify, with its tell-tale go-faster stripes.

Habitat: The Striped Dolphin occupies both offshore and inshore waters.

Food & Feeding: This species takes midwater fish and squid, with laternfish making up at least one-third of the catch.

Behaviour: Groups range from a few animals to a few thousand, but often number bteween 100-500.
Within each group are three segregations: non-mating adults, mating adults and juveniles. Striped Dolphins are an active species, regularly bowriding and leaping from the water. They vocalise with whistles and clicks.

Longevity: Unknown.

Estimated Current Population: Unknown.

The Influence of Man: Striped Dolphins are taken in drive fisheries in the western Pacific - often numbering an average of 14,000 per year between 1950-69.
By the 1980s, these numbers had fallen to between 2,000 and 4,000. Animals in the eastern Atlantic are harpooned from fishing boats to provide the crew with meat.
Some individuals have been held in captivity, but have not successfully trained.

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