Physical Description
Both species have slender bodies, small, pointed flippers and a small fluke. Conspicuously, neither species has a dorsal fin. The Northern Right Whale Dolphin is the only dolphin in the Pacific with this property. Similarly, the Southern is the only finless dolphin in the southern hemisphere. The two species can be readily distinguished (apart from the geographical separation in their ranges) by the extent of the whiteness on the body. Both have white bellies; however, the area of white coloration on the Southern species covers much more of the body - including the flanks, flippers, beak and forehead.
Northern males are about 220 cm long at sexual maturity. Females are 200 cm. Both sexes become mature at about 10 years. New-born Right Whale Dolphins are about half the length of their parents. The Southern species is typically larger (up to 250 cm) and heavier (up to 100 kg compared with the Northern's maximum of 80–90kg). The dolphins live for about 40 years.
Read more about this topic: Right Whale Dolphin
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