Spinner Dolphins
By Tina Lu
Spinner Dolphins by Tina Lu
Published by: Batman Inc.
Table of Contents Page II to X-Behavior- Sleeping/ Breathing Page VI to VII-Description- Body Page VIII to VIIII- Communication- Signals Page X- Glossary Page XI- About the Author
Behavior Sleeping Spinner dolphins have unique ways of sleeping. When they sleep, half of their brain is still awake, so that means the other half is in a deep sleep. Spinner Dolphins have one eye open and one eye closed. The closed one is on the side where the brain is resting and the opened one is on the awake side. It is their brain that makes their way of sleeping unique.
Sleeping The Spinner dolphin has half a brain asleep and half a brain awake when sleeping. Even when half of their brain is awake, they will still be able to get the rest they needed. Each half of their brains take turns to rest, and that stops Spinner dolphins from losing body heat or getting too cold. The Spinner dolphin’s way of sleeping is very important to their survival.
A baby dolphin sleeping on top of a mother dolphin, with their eyes open.
Breathing Spinner dolphins cannot breathe underwater. They can hold their breath for 15-17 minutes. Spinner dolphins blowholes’ are on the top of their head. They go to the surface of water, and breathe out bubbles with their blowhole. When they refill or empty their lungs, they breathe out bubbles. That is how Spinner dolphins breathe.
This is the a dolphin’s blowhole, where they breath in and out.
Two dolphins breathing out bubbles from their blowholes.
Breathing Spinner dolphins are conscious breathers. They live underwater, but they cannot breathe underwater.They have to be conscious about breathing. Spinner dolphins think about breathing is about how much we think about walking. They must be aware of breathing in time. Â
Description Body
Outside body parts
A Spinner dolphins’ body is very colorful and small. They are small cetaceans. Most adults are about 129-235cm long, with a body mass of 23-79kg. It has a triangular or sub-triangular dorsal fin. The dorsal fin is very important to Spinner dolphins, it keeps them upright, and it is similar to a ship’s keel. Spinner dolphins' dorsal fins are dark grey with light grey on the side, and pale gray/white underneath it. Spinner dolphins also have a long thin beak that protects themselves, by killing their enemy when they attack. Spinner dolphins have useful bodies.
Inside body parts Lung Blowhole Blubber
Fluke
Teeth
Stomach Flipper
Body In certain subspecies, some male Spinner dolphins may have
different appearance. They have
upright fin that slant forward and some even have bizarre
backwards-facing dorsal fins in the eastern pacific. They have an unique appearance. Â
Communication
Signals
A Spinner dolphin slapping its tail. It is a signal.
Slapping the water with different body parts is how a Spinner dolphin communicates. For example, “tail slaps” mean danger is coming or they are about to dive. Head slaps, side slaps and back slaps are all used when a group of dolphins needs to speed up. “Noseout” happen after resting or sleeping. That is how Spinner dolphins communicate.
This is one of the hand signals.
Signals Not only do Spinner dolphins communicate with their body parts, they also communicate with their voice.They have two other kinds of vocal signals: pure tones and pulsed sound. Examples of pure tones are whistles, chirps and screams. These are the only two kinds of voices they can make.
About the Author Tina Lu is from Xiamen, China. She is eleven years old, and goes to Shanghai American School. Her favorite sport is golf, and favorite colors are neon yellow, neon blue, blue, and purple.
Glossary Conscious- (pg.7) aware of and responding to one's surroundings; awake. Pulse- (pg.11) a rhythmical throbbing of the arteries as blood is propelled through them, typically as felt in the wrists or neck. Blowhole- (pg.6) a hole for blowing or breathing through Spinner Dolphin- (pg.3,4,5,6,7,8,9&10) a dolphin of warm seas that has a long, slender beak and is noted for rotating several times while leaping into the air Unique-(pg.4) being the only one of its kind, unlike Communicate- (pg.10) share or exchange information, news, or ideas Dorsal- (pg.8&9)of, on, or relating to the upper side or back of an animal, plant, or organ
A Spinner dolphins’ life is different to human’s. They have special ways of sleeping, appearance, and communication. Let’s learn more about Spinner dolphins in this book!