The Southern Right Whale Dolphin (Lissodelphis peronii ) was described by Lacépède in 1804 as Delphinus peronii, possibly based on a specimen collected south of Tasmania. It has been postulated that the closely related northern species Lissodelphis borealis may belong to the same species as the Southern Right Whale Dolphin (L. peronii), however this has not been confirmed.
The common name for right whale dolphin is named after its lack of dorsal fin (a known-feature for dolphins) which gives it a look of the right portion of a whale. Aside from that, its elegant black and white color similar to a killer whale’s is also a striking characteristic. Weighing at 116 kg, this dolphin could grow at a maximum size of 2.97 meters for males and 2.3 meters for females.
They are known to be very sociable with other species as they are noted to swim in large groups together with Pilot Whales, Dusky Dolphins, Hourglass Dolphins, and other common dolphins and large whales.
Like other whales, they feed on fish, squid, and crustaceans. However, it is not known whether this type of dolphin is a deep-layer or surface feeder.
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