The Pacific White-sided Dolphin is also known as the "White-striped Dolphin" or "Hookfin Porpoise". It's cousin is the "Atlantic White-sided Dolphin", which is very similar but slightly larger.

Description

Distinguishing Features - Length: 2.3 m; weight: up to 135 kg. Cylindrical tapered body; head tapers continuously and smoothly to abbreviated dark beak. Back black, belly white, white or light gray stripe on both sides begins at forehead, curves over head, continues past dorsal fin, widening and curving toward anus, forming prominent light gray patch on flank. Narrow, dark stripe between corner of mouth and flipper, continuous with dark lips. Light gray zone on both sides from forehead to dorsal fin. Flippers gray with dark line from axil extending to dark area on flack. Dorsal fin tall, strongly falcate, base near middle of back, dark on forward third, remainder light gray. Flukes dark.

Habitat

Strictly a Pacific variety, appearing from Amchitka Island in Aleutians, throughout Gulf of Alaska to Baja California; in offshore waters and the inside outer edge of continental shelf; often close to shore near deep canyons.

Diet

Primarily fish and squid.

Notes

The Pacific White-sided Dolphin sometimes occurs in herds of up to several thousand.

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