humpback dolphin
noun
plural humpback dolphins
: any of a genus (Sousa) of dolphins that have a prominent hump midway down the back topped by a small dorsal fin and that are found in warm coastal waters of the eastern Atlantic, western Pacific, and Indian oceans
Humpback dolphins have long been recognized as vulnerable to anthropogenic impacts because of their small population sizes, slow life history and rapidly increasing pressure from human settlement …—
Guido J. Parra and Daniele Cagnazzi
Guido J. Parra and Daniele CagnazziAtlantic humpback dolphins, with distinctive humps on their backs topped by rounded dorsal fins, live exclusively in relatively shallow waters and are most common in estuarine environments close to shore.—Marjorie Fishman et al.
Marjorie Fishman et al.Living close to coasts and rivers, the Australian humpback dolphin is susceptible to pollution as well as shark and fishing nets.—Philippe Coquerand
Philippe CoquerandExamples of humpback dolphin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The pinkish-white adult dolphins were identified as Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, the group said.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 13 June 2024
Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 13 June 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'humpback dolphin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near humpback dolphin
Cite this Entry
“Humpback dolphin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humpback%20dolphin. Accessed 20 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share