A Long-beaked Common Dolphin, Delphinus capensis, spy-hopping in the the Sea of Cortez, Baja California Sur, Mexico, with Isla Santa Catalina in the background.
“Previously considered as one species, in 1994 the common dolphin was separated into short and long-beak varieties.
However, advances in science suggest the initial classification was correct and the common dolphin is in fact one species, which shows considerable variation throughout its large range.“
uk.whale.org
However the systematics pan out, the Long-beaked form prefers living within c180km from the shorelines of temperate and tropical areas of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.
Dolphins and some whales, like Orcas and Humpbacks, engage in spy-hopping, to see what is going on above the surface of the water. Their eyes have evolved anatomically in such a way that they can see as well out of the water as they can below the surface.
This photo is copyright © Liz Leyden, all rights strictly as agreed in writing with the author or her agent.
My photo of a Common Dolphin spy-hopping is for sale as wall art or as various home or personal accessories at Pixels.com.
