this biggest family of the tooth-whales contains the most known whales at all, above all the big porpoise, that attained television-fame in shape of the "pinballs" and the most frequent dolphin of the dolphin-arias is, as well as the ordinary dolphin (Delphinus delphis), the dolphin of the classic antiquity.
Shape Dolphins are small-whales of mostly 2-3 m of length. The jaw is off clearly dropped so that a "beak" is created. Only the round-head-dolphin (Grampus griseus) does an exception here. The body-shape is very variable and extends from the very slim, streamlined shape of the smooth-dolphins (Lissodelphis) to the penetrated one, rundschnauzigen appearance of the round-head-dolphin. With exception of the smooth-dolphins, all dolphins have one back-Finn. The biggest type is the big porpoise, who can reach 4 m of length.
Intelligence A question, that is asked again and again in the context of dolphins, is it after its intelligence. So reports about the rescue evoke amazement shipwrecked through dolphins and are liked to quote as proof of the special insight-ability of these animals. However, one must know that it belongs from dolphins to the instinctive behavioral-repertoire, that newborns are held over water or Artgenossen wounded taken into the middle and is supported, so that they don't drown. These innate behaviors might benefit drowning people also already once, a proof of deliberate, flat-full action doesn't let itself derive from this, however.
Also this in dolphin-arias again and again marveled at abilities as retrieving or to common synchronous movement-manners is founded on a training, that uses natural behaviors and a distinctive educational-ability, as it exists with however also many other animals.
Attempts finally, to teach dolphins language, about with them, to can and to get so information about its intelligence maybe, communicates, was given up, without proof of an advanced intelligence having been found. Everything is, which we know, that also dolphins, like other animals, over a number of tones and gestures, with whose help the animals communicate among each other, has without us could decipher the signals in the individual one.
So, the question of the "intelligence" of the dolphins appears to allzusehr from a human point of view from put today and, to become little just for the nature of this high-specialized Meeressäuger. All their abilities so amazingly appearing us result from the outstanding adaptation to their habitat so foreign us in the end, the one completely different Art of the "intelligence" requires as it is familiar for us. The aiming human standards therefore doesn't contribute anything to the understanding of these animals, but only the patient exploring its peculiarities can sewer-bring us these animals.
System The family of the dolphins includes u beside the ordinary dolphin. a. the Commerson-Delphin, the narrow-beak-dolphins, that GroßenTümmler, the smooth-dolphins, the round-head-dolphin as well as the white-muzzle-dolphin and its relatives (type Lagenorhynchus).
Ordinary dolphin (Delphinus delphis)) it becomes 1,5-2,6 m long and until 75 kg heavy. The flippers become 30 cm, that approximately bent, sickle-shaped back-Finn 60 cm long to the back. The tail-flukes stretch approximately 50 cm wide.
Coloring, insignia Dolphins are rather variable in the coloring, why some zoologist several types distinguishes. However, it exists probably only a single, over which world-wide widespread type warm and restrained seas. On the upper side, dolphins are usually brown until black, colored white on the underside, however. Whiten, yellow or gray strips extend at the flanks along. From the eye-ring, a dark strip runs as far as to the base of this clearly put, narrow muzzle. 40-50 teeth stand in each jaw-half.
Way of life Dolphins live together in schools of 20 up to several 100 animals and live from moderate-sized fishings (u). a. Flying fish, and Kopffüßern.
These whales are very active and playful in freedom, often, she accompany ships and ride on their bow-waves along for hours. They are far more difficult than other types in captivity to hold.
Reproduction The Tragzeit amounts to approximately 9-11 months with dolphins. 1 young were born length after it by 75-85 cm.
Continuance The ordinary dolphin is one of the most frequent whales on the earth. Nevertheless, individual populations, that were decimated by catches strongly, must be regarded as threatened, according to the continuances of the black sea, the Mediterranean and the eastern Pacific. The Russians and the Turks discontinued the catches in the black sea as a result. Still, the ordinary dolphin is caught in Japan and South America. Very frequently, this dolphin also gets inadvertently into the nets with the tuna-fishery (whale-animals).
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