Ecology Summary - Tursiops truncatus

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Ecology of Tursiops truncatus

Main Ref.	Tan, J.M.L., 1995
Remarks	Found primarily in coastal and inshore regions of tropical and temperate waters of the world (Ref. 936) and deeper channels between islands (Ref. 122680). Also inhabits pelagic waters, such as those in the eastern tropical Pacific (Ref. 936). In herds of less than 20 individuals (Ref. 801). Feeds either cooperatively or in solitary. They can obtain prey via 'fish whacking' and steering fish onto mudflats (Ref. 122680). Feeds on fish (Refs. 801, 936) crustaceans, and cephalopods (Ref. 801).

Main Ref.

Tan, J.M.L., 1995

Remarks

Found primarily in coastal and inshore regions of tropical and temperate waters of the world (Ref. 936) and deeper channels between islands (Ref. 122680). Also inhabits pelagic waters, such as those in the eastern tropical Pacific (Ref. 936). In herds of less than 20 individuals (Ref. 801). Feeds either cooperatively or in solitary. They can obtain prey via 'fish whacking' and steering fish onto mudflats (Ref. 122680). Feeds on fish (Refs. 801, 936) crustaceans, and cephalopods (Ref. 801).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Tursiops truncatus may be found.

Habitat

Substrate	Pelagic;
Substrate Ref.
Special habitats
Special habitats Ref.

Associations

Ref.	Tan, J.M.L., 1995
Associations
Associated with
Association remarks
Parasitism

feeding

Feeding type	mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref.	Jefferson, T.A., S. Leatherwood and M.A. Webber, 1993
Feeding habit	hunting macrofauna (predator)
Feeding habit Ref.	Jefferson, T.A., S. Leatherwood and M.A. Webber, 1993

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	original sample		unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition	4.50	0.79	4.28	0.67	Troph of juv./adults.
From individual food items	4.50	0.91			Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.	Santos, M.B., G.J. Pierce, R.J.I.A.P. Patterson, H.M. Ross and E. Mente, 2001

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