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Delphinidae Collection (#7)

Delphinidae, commonly known as oceanic dolphins or simply dolphins, encompass a fascinating array of marine creatures

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Common Dolphin, Delphinus delphis, side view

Common Dolphin, Delphinus delphis, side view

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Rissos Dolphin, Grampus griseus, side view

Rissos Dolphin, Grampus griseus, side view

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Cartoon of a killer whale under a boat

Cartoon of a killer whale under a boat

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Illustration of Dolphin, open mouth showing teeth, close-up

Illustration of Dolphin, open mouth showing teeth, close-up

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: A bottlenose dolphin swimming the Barrier Reef, Grand Cayman

A bottlenose dolphin swimming the Barrier Reef, Grand Cayman

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Two rockfish watch cautiously as a pod of pilot whales swim past a coral reef

Two rockfish watch cautiously as a pod of pilot whales swim past a coral reef and a Crown of Thorns starfish

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: North America, Sea of Cortez. Close-up of long-beaked dolphin porpoising through

North America, Sea of Cortez. Close-up of long-beaked dolphin porpoising through glassy water

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Common bottlenose dolphin -Tursiops truncatus- in Walvis Bay, Namibia

Common bottlenose dolphin -Tursiops truncatus- in Walvis Bay, Namibia

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Dusky Dolphin -Lagenorhynchus obscurus- in Walvis Bay, Namibia

Dusky Dolphin -Lagenorhynchus obscurus- in Walvis Bay, Namibia

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Havisides dolphin -Cephalorhynchus heavisidii- jumping in Walvis Bay, Namibia

Havisides dolphin -Cephalorhynchus heavisidii- jumping in Walvis Bay, Namibia

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Bottlenose dolphin -Tursiops truncatus- in Walvis Bay, Erongo Region, Namibia

Bottlenose dolphin -Tursiops truncatus- in Walvis Bay, Erongo Region, Namibia

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Common Bottlenose Dolphin -Tursiops truncatus-, Floreana, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Common Bottlenose Dolphin -Tursiops truncatus-, Floreana, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Hectors Dolphin -Cephalorhynchus hectori- jumping out of the water, Ferniehurst

Hectors Dolphin -Cephalorhynchus hectori- jumping out of the water, Ferniehurst, Canterbury Region, New Zealand

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Hectors Dolphins -Cephalorhynchus hectori- jumping out of the water, Ferniehurst

Hectors Dolphins -Cephalorhynchus hectori- jumping out of the water, Ferniehurst, Canterbury Region, New Zealand

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Frasers Dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei) two adults, leaping from sea, Bali, Lesser Sunda Islands

Frasers Dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei) two adults, leaping from sea, Bali, Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia, October

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Melon-headed Whale (Peponocephala electra) adult, porpoising, Bali Sea, Lesser Sunda Islands

Melon-headed Whale (Peponocephala electra) adult, porpoising, Bali Sea, Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia, October

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: White-beaked Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) adult, swimming at surface of sea, Iceland, June

White-beaked Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) adult, swimming at surface of sea, Iceland, June

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) adult, swimming at surface of river, Mekong River

Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) adult, swimming at surface of river, Mekong River, Kratie, Cambodia, January

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Front view of leaping Killer Whale, Orcinus orca

Front view of leaping Killer Whale, Orcinus orca

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Pygmy killerwhale after being released C018 / 1046

Pygmy killerwhale after being released C018 / 1046
A Pygmy Killerwhale (feresa attenuata), returned to deeper water after it became stranded. It was found near a resort at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia on the island of Borneo

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Stranded pygmy killerwhale being helped C018 / 1065

Stranded pygmy killerwhale being helped C018 / 1065
Volunteers help transport a Pygmy Killerwhale (feresa attenuata), to deeper water after it became stranded. It was found near a resort at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia on the island of Borneo

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Volunteer with stranded pygmy killerwhale C018 / 1066

Volunteer with stranded pygmy killerwhale C018 / 1066
Volunteers helps support the weight of a Pygmy Killerwhale (feresa attenuata), as it rests and recovers his strength. It standed itself near a resort at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Volunteer with stranded pygmy killerwhale C018 / 1063

Volunteer with stranded pygmy killerwhale C018 / 1063
Volunteers helps support the weight of a Pygmy Killerwhale (feresa attenuata), as it rests and recovers his strength. It standed itself near a resort at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Volunteer with stranded pygmy killerwhale C018 / 1057

Volunteer with stranded pygmy killerwhale C018 / 1057
A volunteer helps support the weight of a Pygmy Killerwhale (feresa attenuata), as it rests and recovers his strength. It standed itself near a resort at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Stranded pygmy killerwhale being helped C018 / 1064

Stranded pygmy killerwhale being helped C018 / 1064
Volunteers help transport a Pygmy Killerwhale (feresa attenuata), to deeper water after it became stranded. It was found near a resort at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia on the island of Borneo

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Stranded pygmy killerwhale being helped C018 / 1062

Stranded pygmy killerwhale being helped C018 / 1062
Volunteers help transport a Pygmy Killerwhale (feresa attenuata), to deeper water after it became stranded. It was found near a resort at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia on the island of Borneo

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Stranded pygmy killerwhale being helped C018 / 1070

Stranded pygmy killerwhale being helped C018 / 1070
Volunteers helps support the weight of a Pygmy Killerwhale (feresa attenuata), as it rests and recovers his strength. It standed itself near a resort at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Stranded pygmy killerwhale being helped C018 / 1056

Stranded pygmy killerwhale being helped C018 / 1056
Volunteers help transport a Pygmy Killerwhale (feresa attenuata), to deeper water after it became stranded. It was found near a resort at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia on the island of Borneo

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Short-finned pilot whales C014 / 0554

Short-finned pilot whales C014 / 0554
Short-finned pilot whales. Group of three juvenile short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus). These animals are actually large dolphins and are found throughout the worlds temperate

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Dolphins, artwork C016 / 6185

Dolphins, artwork C016 / 6185
Dolphins, artwork. Plate one from Edward Wilsons Terra Nova Expedition (officially the British Antarctic Expedition 1910) sketch book showing three dolphins

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Homeward Bound

Homeward Bound
Illustration (p.531) from Charles Darwins Journal of Researches, first illustrated edition 1890

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Blue Whale Hall

Blue Whale Hall
View of Blue Whale Hall, Mammal Gallery, Gallery 24, Life Galleries at The Natural History Museum, London

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Sketch of Dolphins by Edward Wilson

Sketch of Dolphins by Edward Wilson
Plate one from Edward Wilson sTerra Nova sketch book showing three dolphins

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Globicephala melas, long-finned pilot whale

Globicephala melas, long-finned pilot whale

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Orcinus orca, orca

Orcinus orca, orca
Plate from a collection of pencil sketches and watercolour drawings of British mammals c. 1890-1910 by Edward Adrian Wilson (1872-1912)

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Lagenorhynchus albirostris, Delphinus delphis & Tursiops tru

Lagenorhynchus albirostris, Delphinus delphis & Tursiops tru
White-beaked dolphin, short-beaked common dolphin & common bottlenose dolphin. Plate 50 from British Mammals Vol. 1 & 2 by Archibald Thorburn, 1920-21

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Orcaella brevirostris, Irrawaddy dolphin

Orcaella brevirostris, Irrawaddy dolphin
Photograph of the dorsal view of the skull of an Irrawaddy dolphin

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Sousa teuszii, Atlantic Hump-backed Dolphin

Sousa teuszii, Atlantic Hump-backed Dolphin skull

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Orcinus orca gladiator, orca gladiator

Orcinus orca gladiator, orca gladiator
Plate from a collection of pencil sketches and watercolour drawings of British mammals c. 1890-1910 by Edward Adrian Wilson (1872-1912)

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Dolphin casting, c. 1924, The Natural History Museum

Dolphin casting, c. 1924, The Natural History Museum
Percy Stammwitz, the skilled technician captured here in the Preparators Workshop making casts of dolphins for models in the proposed new Whale Hall

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Tabula

Tabula
Illustration from Handlung 1 Tabula, by Kirschner, 1786

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Delphinus delphis, common dolphin

Delphinus delphis, common dolphin
Ff. 31. Painting by George Forster (1754-1794), made during Captain James Cooks second voyage of discovery, 1772-1775

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Pursuit of Flying Fish by Dolphins & Birds

Pursuit of Flying Fish by Dolphins & Birds
A line drawing from The Ocean by P. H. Gosse 1846 Page 183 illustrating a pursuit of flying fish by dolphins and birds

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Working on whale carcass, 1930s

Working on whale carcass, 1930s
Since 1913, when the Crowns rights to whales and dolphins stranded or caught in English waters (Fishes Royal) were transferred to the Museum, staff have been monitoring cetacean strandings

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Frasers Dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei) pod, porpoising, surfacing from water, Maldives, march

Frasers Dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei) pod, porpoising, surfacing from water, Maldives, march

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Frasers Dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei) adult, spouting, surfacing from water, Maldives, march

Frasers Dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei) adult, spouting, surfacing from water, Maldives, march

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Pantropical Spotted Dolphin (Stenella attenuata) three adults, swimming at surface of water

Pantropical Spotted Dolphin (Stenella attenuata) three adults, swimming at surface of water, Maldives, march

Background imageDelphinidae Collection: Mermaids with dolphins

Mermaids with dolphins. These mythical creatures, half-woman and half-fish, were first described by the Syrians, who worshipped a Semitic mermaid moon-goddess called Atargatis




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Delphinidae, commonly known as oceanic dolphins or simply dolphins, encompass a fascinating array of marine creatures. Among them are the awe-inspiring Killer Whales, also known as Orcas (Orcinus orca). These magnificent beings possess an undeniable power and intelligence that captivates our imagination. One such instance is captured in a breathtaking photograph where Mel, a male Killer Whale, launches himself towards a young South American sea lion with astonishing force. This display of hunting prowess reminds us of their position at the top of the food chain. In another snapshot taken off the coast of Shetland, Scotland, an entire pod of Orca whales emerges from beneath the waves in perfect synchrony. Their sleek bodies glisten under the April sunlight as they navigate through open waters together – a testament to their strong social bonds. Not far away in Port Aransas, a playful Bottlenose dolphin named Tursiops truncatus finds joy amidst towering waves created by passing oil tankers. Its acrobatic leaps and spins showcase both its agility and affinity for adventure. Meanwhile, under the enchanting evening light at Moray Firth, two Bottlenose dolphins breach simultaneously against an ethereal backdrop. Their graceful movements seem almost choreographed as they celebrate life's simple pleasures. The collaborative nature of killer whale pods becomes evident when witnessing them hunt in unison within herring baitballs. With strategic precision and teamwork, these intelligent predators secure their next meal while leaving spectators awestruck by their coordinated efforts. Venturing into warmer waters over vibrant coral reefs reveals yet another facet diversity: Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphins gracefully glide above this underwater wonderland. Their presence adds an extra layer of beauty to this already mesmerizing ecosystem. Journeying further east to Ogasawara / Bonin Islands in Japan unveils Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins displaying unique behavior rarely witnessed - one individual with its penis extended.