#anomalous
Colour anomalies in the Short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis)
As some of you may know I’ve a bit of a weak spot for everything weird with cetaceans: hybrids, deformities, colour anomalies - I love it all. And Short-beaked common dolphins are a gold mine in that last department. I don’t think any other species displays quite so many different anomalies, and with such frequency, as this one. Some, like the melanistic form, are almost ‘normal’ and quite stereotypical in their presentation. Others, like the dolphins in row 4, are highly unique. So earlier this year I made this poster documenting all know anomalies - initially just for fun but I ended up quite liking it! I hope you’ll have fun perusing the oddities of Delphinus delphis too.
Most of these are based on several animals with similar anomalies. However, since the animals in row 4 are all so unique, here’s specific credits to their spotters: 4A was an individual stranded in the UK; 4B, D and E are all photographed by Lisa Steiner of Whale Watch Azores; 4C by Capt. Dave’s Dolphin Safari, 4F by Marilia Olio, and 4G was published in this article here.
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UPDATE now up on https://www.leafscar.com/
I call this page ‘when you stop the admire the local wildlife’
follow link for previous pages!
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