kanaloa

Right Whale Dolphin

Right Whale Dolphin

(Lissodelphis borealis)

Small schools of these dolphins wander about in the vast depths of the North Pacific Ocean, generally far offshore, from the latitude of San Diego, California, to Bering Sea . On the other side of the Pacific they are found off the coasts of Japan. Right Whale Dolphins are so called because of the absence of a dorsal fin, a character they share with the larger Right Whale .
Rather slender in proportion to its length and having a short but distinct beak, this dolphin attains a length of at least eight feet. It is perhaps the sleekest and handsomest of all the dolphins, the velvet-black color of the upper parts,, the flippers, and the tail flukes contrasting, with the white areas on the underparts.
Our knowledge of this dolphin's actions when swimming rests solely on the observations of Titian R. Peale, who accompanied the United States Exploring Expedition of 1838-42 commanded by Charles Wilkes, U. S. N. He reported them to be remarkably quick and active and said they frequently leap out of water. They feed largely on cuttlefish and fish.
Peron's Dolphin (L. peronii), a related species, inhabits the southern seas from the longitude of Chile to New Zealand and Tasmania. Its beak, as far as the eye, is silky white, and so are the sides, the flippers, the tail flukes, and the entire underparts; the top of the head and the back are black or bluish black. It is somewhat smaller than its northern relative, measuring about six feet in length.

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