An endangered species common to the entire Mediterranean region only a few decades ago, the Mediterranean common dolphin can be identified by its short beak and medium size. Adults reach an average length of 2.5 meters and, although colors vary slightly from area to area, common dolphins usually have a light-colored underbelly and darker backs. The common dolphin feeds mostly on small fish species like anchovies and sardines, and frequently falls prey to fishing nets for those same species.
Perhaps the most recognizable dolphin species and common to warm waters throughout the world, the bottlenose dolphin can be identified by the elongated beak giving the species its name. Adults reach an average length of just under 4 meters, and the species tends to be wider and more robust than most dolphin species. While they have not declined in numbers as sharply as other dolphin populations -- possibly due to their more diverse diet -- bottlenose dolphins in the Mediterranean face a number of threats, including declining fish stocks, dangers from nets, and toxic pollution.
A species common to the continental shelf waters around Italy, particularly the warm waters of Sicily, Risso's dolphin is a medium to large species reaching a maximum adult length of about 3.5 meters. The species has a short beak, bulbous head and, although young dolphins can be a light brown color, the gradual loss of pigment makes most adults white or grey. Risso's dolphins can usually be found in small groups of five or six around coastal waters.
A small and slender species reaching an average adult length just over 2.2 meters, the striped dolphin has a thin, agile body and a small beak similar to the common dolphin. The defining characteristic of the species, however, is the black stripe running from the dolphin's eye to its anus along the flank, a feature that gives the species its name. Striped dolphins live in herds of anywhere from 20-100 depending on the food supply of small fish.
A medium species reaching an adult length just under 3 meters, the rough-toothed dolphin can be identified by the rows of faintly-ridged teeth along its elongated jaw. The species tends to be light in color, inhabits tropical and subtropical deep waters throughout the world, and has a varied diet of fish, squid, mollusks and cephalopods. Rough-toothed dolphins move in groups and face a number of threats, including hunters, fishing nets and toxic pollutants.
