black sea red data book - Department of Biology

Tursiops truncatus Montagu, 1821
Synonyms: Tursiops truncatus ponticus Barabasch-Nikiforov, 1940
Common names: Engl: Bottlenose dolphin; Bulg: Afala; Georg: Aphalina; Rom:
Afalin, Delfinul cu bot de sticla, Delfinul cu bot gros; Russ: Afalina chernomorskaya;
Turk: Afalina; Ukr: Afalina chornomors'ka
Taxonomic description. The single representative of the genus, and one of two
dolphins in the Black Sea. Non-Soviet authors consider it an endemic sub-species, T.
truncatus ponticus, but no indisputable proof supports this opinion. External
distinctions: moderate-length snout separated from the melon by distinct crease; tall,
falcate dorsal fin; robust conical teeth, partially worn in old animals.
IUCN Status
World level: DD
Black Sea Regional level: DD
Order CETÁCEA
Family DELPHINIDAE
Subregion level: EN in Romania, VTJ in Bulgaria and Ukraine
Distribution, Habitat type, Critical habitats, Limiting factors. Bottlenose
dolphins used to be found all over the Black Sea continental shelf. Occasionally, they
occur offshore, and, very rarely, in the Sea of Azov. There are no exact data on
resident dolphin schools, although groups of foraging animals may stay in some
places off the Crimean, Caucasian and Anatolian coasts for a few days to several
months. Dolphins annually form more or less compact groups in the Kerch Strait and
adjacent forestrait zone, from early spring to late autumn. Herd migrations
(sometimes of several hundred animals) are known along the south coast of the
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