Spinner dolphins are renowned for their fantastic acrobatic displays.

Subspecies
Possibly five or more, including a dwarf variety in Gulf of Thailand.

Life span
Unknown.

Statistics
Body length: 1.3-2.1m, Weight: 45-75kg.

Physical description
Spinner dolphins are slender-bodied with a dark grey back, pearl sides and a white belly. The beak is long and slender, and they have a tall erect dorsal fin.

Distribution
They live in tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, often near islands.

Diet
They feed on fish, squid and shrimp.

Behaviour
Spinner dolphins typically occur in schools of 5-200 individuals, although groupings of 1,000 individuals have been reported. They are very sociable with their own species and other species, such as spotted dolphins.

Conservation status
They are classified as Lower Risk by the IUCN Red List.

Notes
Spinner dolphins spin on a longitudinal axis.