Sealife guideThe spinner dolphinStenella longirostris

Last updated on 01/19/2026 at 11:38 PM

Taxonomy

Common name: Spinner dolphin
French name: Dauphin à long bec
Spanish name: Estenela giradora
Scientific name: Stenella longirostris (Gray, 1828)
Family name: Delphinidae
Order name: Cetacea
Class name: Sea mammals [Mammalia]

Description

The spinner dolphin is a modestly sized species, measuring 6.5 to 10 feet in length and weighing around 220 lbs. This dolphin has a sleek appearance with a fusiform body and a long, pointed rostrum. Its dorsal fin is tall and curved.

The spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) © Shane Myers | Dreamstime.com

Its coloration ranges from dark gray on the back with a very distinct boundary, giving the impression of a cape, to lighter gray or whitish on the belly.

Geographic range

The spinner dolphin inhabits warm and temperate waters across all the world's oceans, including the waters off the Canary islands, where it is regularly observed offshore.

Habitat

The spinner dolphin is a pelagic species that inhabits both coastal and offshore waters, often in areas of shallow banks and sheltered bays.

Spinner dolphins are social animals that live in groups ranging from about 20 to 100 individuals, and they are very active and playful with one another. They are also known to follow boats and schools of fish.

Diet

The spinner dolphin primarily feeds on fish, squid and shrimp.

The spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) © Stephankerkhofs | Dreamstime.com

The spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) © Andy Collins NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries sous licence Creative Commons

Reproduction

After a gestation period of about 11 months, female dolphins give birth to a single calf, which they nurse for several months. As adults, spinner dolphins can live up to 40 years.

Did you know ?

The main threats faced by dolphins include pollution, bycatch in fisheries and habitat destruction.

The spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) © Jeff Christiansen sous licence Creative Commons

The spinner dolphin is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The spinner dolphin appears in the IUCN Red List since 2018 within the category Least Concern !

Within the same genus

Atlantic spotted dolphin
(Stenella frontalis)

Striped dolphin
(Stenella coeruleoalba)

Within the same family

Atlantic white-sided dolphin
(Leucopleurus acutus)

Commerson's dolphin
(Cephalorhynchus commersonii)

Common bottlenose dolphin
(Tursiops truncatus)

Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin
(Sousa chinensis)

Pacific white-sided dolphin
(Sagmatias obliquidens)

Risso's dolphin
(Grampus griseus)

Short-beaked common dolphin
(Delphinus delphis)

White headed dolphin
(Cephalorhynchus hectori)

Discover also

Amazon river dolphin
(Inia geoffrensis)

Antarctic fur seal
(Arctocephalus gazella)

Australian sea lion
(Neophoca cinerea)

Beluga
(Delphinapterus leucas)

Dugong
(Dugong dugon)

Florida manatee
(Trichechus manatus latirostris)

Harbor seal
(Phoca vitulina)

Humpback whale
(Megaptera novaeangliae)

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Photo of the Day

Dauphin bleu et blanc
(Stenella coeruleoalba)