Striped Dolphin
Stenella coeruleoalba (Meyer, 1833)



Morphology and dimensions: It is a small dolphin with a slender shape and a maximum length of two meters; it weights around 100 Kg. In comparison with the “tursiope”, it has aslimmer and longer “rostrum”. The baby weights approximately 11 Kg and measures nearly a meter.

Coloration: On sides, the strikes are very visible and give to the species. Characteristic is also one "whitish, variable flame" for intensity and length, than, leaving from sides of the head, goes towards the base of the dorsal fin. The back is dark grey, the abdomen is white man sometimes pink.

Swim and breathing rhythm: It is one of the more agile and fast cetaceum, able to reach a sped of 40 Km/h and to perform spectacular acrobatics. Often they approach boats swimming in the bow wave; it is not rare them in a similar behaviour also near common finners. Its apneas can last some minute and it thinks that during the immersions it catches up also some hundred of meters of depth.


Feeding: "Very general" species, that can eat several species of fish, squids and crustaceans as available. The set of teeth very is developed on both jaws. Some studies have evidenced that, to get food, during the night, the Stenella Streaked tends to approach to the coast.

Social behaviour: In Liguria Sea, the Stenella Streaked lives in groups constituted by twenty exemplars, whose social structure currently is studied from the researchers of the Tethys Research Institute.

Vital cycle: Like in other areas of the world, males and females reach the sexual maturity at the age of 9 years old. The gestation lasts 12 months, while the births are concentrated in the summer period. The interval between deliveries varies one from 1.5 to 3 years; its longevity is about 30 years.

Identification in sea: Often it is seen also from distance, thanks to the sprays caused by its jumps on the surface of the water. The reduced dimensions and the coloration of his sides allow identification from other species. It is the more common and sought “cetaceum” in the Liguria Sea; we esteem that, in summer period, its population in the area is beyond 30,000 exemplars.