Amazon+River+Dolphin-+Joyce

The Amazon River Dolphin ﻿ 



Scientific Name: //Inia geoffrensis// Family: Iniidae Order: Cetacea

**Order:** The Amazon River Dolphin, or Boto, belongs to the order Cetacea. Other animals included in this order include killer whales, sperm whales, striped dolphins, humpback whales, and more. Every organism that is a Cetacean shares similar characteristics. All Cetaceans are aquatic mammals, which means they live in some type of body of water. Also, female Cetaceans give live birth. In addition, all Cetaceans have a fusiform, or streamlined body shape. Lastly, these animals all have external nares, or a blowhole, on top of their heads.





**Movement:** Amazon River Dolphins move throughout their environment by using their tail fins called flukes. By moving their flukes up and down, the dolphins are able to use propulsion to travel around their habitat.

**Metabolism:** The Amazon River Dolphin is a carnivore, which means they only eat meat. Amazon River Dolphins commonly eat crabs, catfish, small river fish, crustaceans, and other river dwelling animals. Amazon River Dolphins catch their prey in a process called herding. This is how the process works; a dolphin herd scares a fish pod. Then the dolphins take turns swimming into the pod to catch their prey with their teeth. Amazon River Dolphins will also use their nose to dig into the sand to find little aquatic animals.

**Growth and Development:** Amazon River Dolphins will grow to around 8.25 feet to 9.75 feet and will weigh close to 200 pounds. Although the sexual maturity age is unknown, scientists have calculated that males reach maturity when they are 7 feet long, and females reach maturity when they are 5.5 feet long.

**Adaptations:** From when they first existed to now, Amazon River Dolphins have developed many interesting adaptations. Amazon River Dolphins have a cervical vertebrate that lets them move their heads up to 180°. This makes it easier for the dolphins to catch food. Amazon River Dolphins also have longer snouts which helps them hunt at the bottom of the river. Amazon River Dolphins have also adapted their bodies to be more flexible. Their flexible bodies help the dolphins maneuver the Amazon River faster and easier.

**Reproduction:** The Amazon River Dolphins' gestation period, the amount of time before giving birth, usually lasts between nine and twelve months. When an Amazon River Dolphin does give birth, the amount of babies it can have at a time ranges from two to six. It generally has to do with the age of the dolphin mother.

__**Classification **__ **Kingdom:** Animalia **Phylum: ** Chordata <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">**Class:** Mammalia <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">**Order:** Cetacea <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">**Family:** Iniidae <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">**Genus:** Inia <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">**Species:** //Inia geoffrensis//



<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 14px;">**Males and Females:** There is no distinct difference between male and female Amazon River Dolphins, but it has been determined that male Amazon River Dolphins tend to be larger than the females.

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