Atlantic White Sided Dolphin

Scientific Name		Lagenorhynchus acutus
English Common Name		Atlantic White-Sided Dolphin / Lag’s
Taxonomy		Class: Mammalia Order: Cetacea Sub-order: Odontoceti Family: Delphinidae Genus: Lagenorhynchus Species: acutus
Behaviour		Fast swimmers and acrobatic at the surface, often leaving the water, either porpoising or breaching. Known to bow-ride with faster vessels and swim alongside slower ones. Larger groups tend to be found off-shore with smaller ones inshore.
World Distribution		They are found in cool temperate and sub-arctic waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. Their range is similar to that of the White-Beaked Dolphin (with whom they are frequently spotted) and they may occasionally be found as far north as the southern Barents Sea and, rarely, as far south as the English Channel. They have been observed from west Greenland to Chesapeake Bay, USA; and are especially common in the Gulf of Maine, with large schools being spotted as far North as the St. Lawrence estuary, Canada.
Morphology		Atlantic White-Sided Dolphins can easily be spotted at sea with their large, robust bodies, and the distinctive white patch on their sides finishing in a yellow streak at the rear of their flanks. They can sometimes be confused with the Common dolphin however they lack the distinctive hourglass pattern on their sides). The upper body is black or dark grey, there is a pale grey stripe along the length of the body, a white band below the dorsal fin and a yellow or tan band along the length of the tail stock. The dorsal fin, flippers, and tail fluke can be black or dark grey. The body remains thick until it reaches the tail, where it quickly narrows into the flukes. When they are born Atlantic white-sided dolphins are 1-1.3 metres long and weigh 30-35 kg. They grow to between 1.9 and 2.5 metres in length. Atlantic white-sided dolphins live on fish, crustaceans and squid.
Threats		The primary threat is entanglement in fishing nets. Other threats include directed hunts.
Status		No abundance estimate for the species is available.
Conservation Activities		The North and Baltic Sea populations are listed in Appendix II of CMS, and inclu sion of the NW Atlantic stock is recommen ded on the basis of observed migratory behaviour. Protected under ASCOBANS