The Rough-toothed dolphin

​General description

The Steno, or Rough-toothed dolphin, is distinguished by its streamlined and robust body. Its conical head features a long, finely defined rostrum and a discreet melon. Its dorsal fin, located in the middle of its back, is clearly visible: high, wide at the base, sickle-shaped and slightly rounded at its tip. Its caudal fin, imposing and with falcate lobes, is often serrated and has a marked notch in its center.

The Steno displays a slate gray or black pigmentation, with a darker dorsal cape that goes down from the rostrum to the back. Its lighter sides are often decorated with white spots, while its whitish belly contrasts with small black markings. Another distinctive element is the coloring of its rostrum: its upper jaw is dark, while the lower jaw is bright white.

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Habitat

The Steno is a warm water cetacean. It is found in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate waters. Although pelagic, it is not uncommon for it to venture into waters closer to the coast. A good diver, he generally explores depths between 30 and 70 meters.

Diet

The Steno loves cephalopods such as squid, but also pelagic fish, such as dolphinfish. With apneas that can extend beyond 15 minutes, it is perfectly equipped to capture its prey in deep water.

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Behavior

Stenos are social animals that live in small, compact groups, generally composed of 10 to 20 individuals. These groups are very close-knit, with members swimming in close proximity to each other, often in synchrony. They also display cooperative behavior by regularly associating with other cetacean species, such as bottlenose dolphins, spinner dolphins or pilot whales.

Family : Delphinidae​​