The Genus Tursiops is a small genus of aquatic mammals consisting of only two species, which are both bottlenose dolphins and common members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins. Further, both of these two have a cosmopolitan distribution, that is, are across most all of the oceans of the world, with the only exception of the Arctic and Antarctic oceans because bottlenose dolphins prefer to inhabit warm and temperate seas.

Molecular studies show this genus definitively contains two species, the common bottlenose dolphin and the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, but others, like the Burrunan dolphin (Tursiops aduncus australis), may be alternately considered their own species or be subspecies of the Indo-Pacific dolphin.

Their name is from the Latin tursio, meaning dolphin and truncatus for their characteristic truncated teeth.

Bottlenose dolphins can use tools, using marine sponges to forage for food they normally could not access. Their notability and popularity was increased from television programs such as Flipper in the middle 1960s.

Bottlenose dolphins have the third largest encephalization levels of any mammal on earth, where humans and great apes are larger. This likely contributes to their very high intelligence and emotional capabilities.

Atlantic bottlenose dolphin

Ind-Pacific bottlenose dolphin

Common bottlenose dolphins are gray, can be between 6 and 13 feet in length and weigh between 330 and 1430 pounds. Males are generally both heavier and larger than females. Average adult length is between 8 and 12 feet and weight is between 440 and 1,100 pounds. The average life expectancy of bottlenose dolphins is about 17 years old, but in captivity, some have lived as long as 50 years.

A group of dolphins is called a pod or school, which typically number about 15 individuals but can be more or less at times. Males are called bulls, females are called cows and babies are called calves. Females give birth to one baby at a time every 1 to 6 years depending on species and the individual.

These dolphins have a short and well defined snout that looks like an old fashioned liquor bottle, hence, there name and on the top of the nose is the blow hole. Also, dolphins have a much more flexible neck because five of the seven vertebrae are not fused together like other dolphines.

As considerable genetic variation has been described within this species, even between neighboring populations, many experts think additional species may be recognized.

These dolphins inhabit warm and temperate seas worldwide.

The common bottlenose dolphin can be found in temperate, subtropical, and tropical oceans around the world, some living closer to the shore and others living further out to sea. Offshore populations can migrate up to 2,600 miles in a season and inshore populations move much less.

Coastal dolphins can be found in bays, estuaries, harbor and lagoons,

Tursiops truncatus truncatus

Tursiops truncatus ponticus

Tursiops truncatus gephyrus

Awake long before sunrise and I work for a while on my journal. The cold front that moved in yesterday made it much colder this morning.

At sunrise I go to the St Charles Bay boat launch and photograph the sunrise, after which I go the big tree, then to look for the whooping cranes and see them in a pasture but they are too far away to photograph.

Then at eight, I meet with a group of birder's and walk along the waterfront where we see well over twenty birds including an osprey fishing.

During the walk along the waterfront, the ranger points out a dolphin in the water.