taxonID	type	description	language	source
03B887D96B2CFFBBFDFC7B25F9D88C18.taxon	description	• Small, relatively robust but slender porpoises with short and poorly defined beaks; small spade-shaped teeth.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2CFFBBFDFC7B25F9D88C18.taxon	distribution	• All oceans and some rivers in East and South Asia. • Shoreward of the continental shelf, mostly shallow waters less than 180 m deep; two species occur in deep, oceanic waters (hundreds to thousands of meters deep), and two in rivers.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2CFFBBFDFC7B25F9D88C18.taxon	conservation	• 1 species Critically Endangered, 2 Vulnerable; none Extinct since 1600.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB9FFAA788AF6DB8BC9.taxon	materials_examined	“ au Cap ” (= South Africa, Western Cape Prov., Cape of Good Hope). Almost certainly erroneous; unknown today from the coast of Africa.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB9FFAA788AF6DB8BC9.taxon	discussion	This species is monotypic.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB9FFAA788AF6DB8BC9.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Shallow, coastal waters of tropical and subtropical S & E Asia, from the Persian Gulf E to the S East China Sea and S to the Sunda Is. There are no records from Oman and the Philippines, although the species is expected eventually to be found in both locations.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB9FFAA788AF6DB8BC9.taxon	description	Descriptive notes. Total length 135 - 171 cm; weight 30 - 55 kg. Of the two species of finless porpoise, the Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoise is the smaller, reaching a known maximum total body length of only 171 cm. There is no dorsal fin, but there is a dorsal structure (often called a “ ridge ” or “ groove ” in the literature) that is lower and wider than in the Narrow-ridged Finless Porpoise (N. asiacorientalis); it is 4.8 - 12 cm wide, with 10 - 17 (occasionally as few as nine or up to 25) roughly longitudinal rows of tubercles. Even in young Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoises, the dorsal structure is wider than in adults of the other species of porpoises. The ridge begins posterior to the mid-length of the body. Head of the Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoise is blunt with no beak, and its body is relatively slender. Adult coloration is dark gray to nearly black, although newborns are much paler than adults, often a creamy gray. Adult condylobasal skull length is 181 - 245 mm. The rostrum is relatively wide and short; its length is 62 - 92 mm, with a mean of 74 - 6 mm. Tooth counts in each half of each jaw are 15 - 22 in the upper row and 16 - 22 in the lower row.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB9FFAA788AF6DB8BC9.taxon	biology_ecology	Habitat. Shallow, warm waters near the coast. The Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoise is often found in high densities in and near estuaries of large rivers. Although it is tropical, there is a record of its occurrence from the Yellow / Bohai Sea area, although thisis considered extralimital. It penetrates into the Indus River for ¢. 60 km and into the Brahmaputra River for ¢. 40 km from their mouths.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB9FFAA788AF6DB8BC9.taxon	food_feeding	Food and Feeding. Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoises feed on a wide variety of small marine organisms, some of which are pelagic and others benthic or demersal. Its prey includes fish in the families Apogonidae, Carangiade, Clupeidae, Sparidae, and Engraulidae, plus cephalopods (squid and cuttlefish) and crustaceans.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB9FFAA788AF6DB8BC9.taxon	breeding	Breeding. Reproduction of the Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoises has been studied more extensively than in most other species of porpoises. The population that has been best studied is from the area around Hong Kong, where reproduction is strongly seasonal, with most births taking place from October (autumn) to January (winter). Sexual maturity of males occurs at 4 - 5 years of age and lengths of 138 - 154 cm, and at 5 - 6 years and 137 - 150 cm for females. Gestation appears to last c. 11 months, and newborns are ¢. 70 - 80 cm in length. Both species of finless porpoises appear to live up to 20 years, but some individuals in waters near Hong Kong have apparently lived to over 30 years of age.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB9FFAA788AF6DB8BC9.taxon	activity	Activity patterns. Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoises are cryptic, and they generally have a low surfacing profile. Although they do not often appear to leap from the water, they can be very active at times and will often chase fish at high speeds, making sharp turns and fast accelerations. They have more mobility of the neck than do other porpoise species. They do not ride bow waves of vessels.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB9FFAA788AF6DB8BC9.taxon	biology_ecology	Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is virtually nothing known about individual movements and home ranges of Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoises because no studies have successfully identified or tagged individuals. In some areas, such as around Hong Kong, there are seasonal shifts in abundance, with higher densities near shore in winter and spring, and lower densities in summer and autumn (when individuals are presumed to spend more time farther offshore). As in other porpoise species, Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoises generally occur as singles or in small groups of up to c. 6 individuals. Larger aggregations of up to several dozen sometimes form in areas of good feeding opportunities.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB9FFAA788AF6DB8BC9.taxon	conservation	Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix I (under N. phocaenoides). Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. The Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoise was recently evaluated separately on The IUCN Red List (previous assessmentslisted all finless porpoises as a single species). Its classification as Vulnerable was due to observed population declines and inferred reductions of at least 30 % in the past three generations. Although it has an extensive distribution throughout south-eastern Asia, and there are clearly many thousands of Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoises, no global population assessment has been attempted. A number of threats face the Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoise, including destruction of habitat from coastal development, disturbance from vessel traffic and other coastal activities, vessel strikes, and various forms of pollution. The major threat, however, comes from entanglement in equipment of variousfisheries, especially gillnets, and this may be threatening the viability of some populations. The population that occurs in waters near Hong Kong is one of the only ones for which robust estimates of abundance have been made, and it appears to number at least 220 individuals. About 1400 Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoises occur in waters off Bangladesh.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB8FAA27A34FD7D8FF6.taxon	materials_examined	“ Yangtze, Prov. Kiangsu, Shanghai, China. ”	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB8FAA27A34FD7D8FF6.taxon	discussion	Two subspecies are recognized.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB8FAA27A34FD7D8FF6.taxon	distribution	Subspecies and Distribution. N. a. asiaeorientalisPilleri & Gihr, 1972 — middleandlowerreachesoftheYangtze River, CChina. N. a. sunameri Pilleri & Gihr, 1975 — shallow marine waters of E Asia; records are known from Japan, South Korea, China, and Taiwan. Occurrence in North Korea is not documented butis strongly suspected, and a stranding record from the island of Okinawa, S Japan, is considered to be extralimital.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB8FAA27A34FD7D8FF6.taxon	description	Descriptive notes. Total length 130 - 227 cm; weight 40 - 72 kg. Of the two species of finless porpoise, the Narrow-ridged Finless Porpoise is the larger species, with a total body length up to 227 cm, although this may be an outlier because most specimens are much smaller. There is no dorsal fin, but the tubercled patch is narrow, 0.2 - 1.2 cm, occasionally up to 2 - 4 cm, in width at its widest point. Dorsal ridge is high (up to 5: 5 cm), is covered with 1 - 10 rows of tubercles, and originates at or anterior to the mid-length of the back. There is no beak, and head is blunt, with a steep forehead. Especially in the Yangtze River, body of the Narrow-ridged Finless Porpoise has a very soft and “ mushy ” texture, different from most cetaceans. Coloration tends to be much paler than in the Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoise (N. phocaenoides). Adults range from pale cream to dark gray, but they are a moderate shade of gray in most populations. Newborns are dark gray and get paler as they age. Compared with their congeners, skull of the Narrow-ridged Finless Porpoise has a relatively long and narrow rostrum (length 77 - 97 mm, with a mean of 86 - 8 mm). Adult condylobasal skull lengths are 210 - 295 mm. Teeth are small, and tooth counts in each half of each jaw are 16 - 21 in the upper row and 15 - 20 in the lower row.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB8FAA27A34FD7D8FF6.taxon	biology_ecology	Habitat. Shallow, temperate waters of eastern Asia. Both marine and fresh waters are inhabited, and there is a population of Narrow-ridged Finless Porpoises found exclusively in the freshwaters of China’s largestriver, the Yangtze. Althoughit tends to occur mostly very near shore, it has a greater tendency than the Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoise to be found in offshore waters. Shallow, offshore (more than 240 km from shore, but less than 200 m deep) regions of the Yellow and Bohai seas are inhabited by the Narrow-ridged Finless Porpoise.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB8FAA27A34FD7D8FF6.taxon	food_feeding	Food and Feeding. Narrow-ridged Finless Porpoises feed on a wide variety of small marine organisms, some of which are pelagic; others are benthic or demersal. Its prey includes fish (families such as Apogonidae, Carangiade, Clupeidae, Sparidae, Engraulidae, Sciaenidae, Gobiidae, and Atherinidae), cephalopods (Octopodidae, Sepiidae, Sepiolidae, and Loliginidae), and crustaceans (mostly shrimps). Available data also indicate that Narrow-ridged Finless Porpoises in the Yangtze River feed on fish and shrimps.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB8FAA27A34FD7D8FF6.taxon	breeding	Breeding. Life history of the Narrow-ridged Finless Porpoise has been relatively well studied, largely due to the abundance of specimens available from large bycatches in various fisheries. Newborns are ¢. 73 - 79 cm long and are born mostly in spring and summer, although births in some populations can occur in autumn and winter. Sexual maturity of males occurs at 3 - 6 years of age and lengths of 132 - 145 cm, and at c. 4 - 6 years and 132 - 140 cm for females, with some variation among populations. Gestation lasts ¢. 10 - 11 months. Most individuals appear to reach a maximum age of ¢. 20 - 25 years, but they can live as long as 33 years.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB8FAA27A34FD7D8FF6.taxon	activity	Activity patterns. Both species of finless porpoises are very cryptic, and they generally have a low surfacing profile. Although they do not appear to leap from the water very frequently, individuals have been observed performing “ tail stands ” in the Yangtze River. They can be very active at times and will often chase fish at very high speeds, making sharp turns and fast accelerations. There are reports of mother porpoises carrying young on their backs (supposedly with the offspring lying on the roughened dorsal ridge), but these reports are somewhat questionable. They do not ride bow waves of vessels, and they may move away with rooster-tail-type splashes when they are startled by a motor boat.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB8FAA27A34FD7D8FF6.taxon	biology_ecology	Movements, Home range and Social organization. Not much is known about individual movements or home range patterns of the Narrow-ridged Finless Porpoise because few studies have been able to track individual movements through tagging or individual identification work. Nonetheless, moderately extensive movements in the Yangtze River are known or suspected. Seasonal shifts in abundance are known from some waters of China and Japan, although these do not appear to qualify as well-defined migrations. Group sizes tend to be small. Narrow-ridged Finless Porpoises generally occuras singles or in small groups of up to ten individuals or so. Larger aggregations of up to several dozen sometimes form in areas of good feeding opportunities, but these groups do not have a cohesive structure.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2EFFB8FAA27A34FD7D8FF6.taxon	conservation	Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix I (under N. phocaenoides). Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. The nominate subspecies asiaeorientalis is classified as Critically Endangered, and the subspecies sunameri has not been evaluated separately on The IUCN Red List. Vulnerable status is due to observed population declines and inferred reductions of at least 30 % in the past three generations. In particular, populations in the Yangtze River and the Inland Sea ofJapan have suffered dramatic declines in recent decades, and the future of both populationsis in serious doubt. Although the Narrow-ridged Finless Porpoise has an extensive distribution, no global assessment of abundance has been attempted. There are, however, thought to be somewhat more than 1800 individuals in the Yangtze River and 5000 - 10,000 individuals in 5 - 6 different populations in Japanese waters. In the Yellow Sea of Korea, c. 21,500 individuals were estimated to occur in offshore waters and ¢. 5500 in coastal waters, but these estimates are thought to be low. They are faced with a number of threats, including destruction of habitat from coastal development, disturbance from vessel traffic and other coastal activities, vessel strikes, and various forms of pollution and noise disturbance. As for the Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoise, the major threat to the Narrow-ridged Finless Porpoise may come from entanglement in equipment of various fisheries, especially those using gillnets and related trammel nets.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFB8FF137123F8358C69.taxon	materials_examined	Argentina, Buenos Aires, “ capturado en Punta Colares, cerca de Quilmes. ”	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFB8FF137123F8358C69.taxon	discussion	This species is monotypic.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFB8FF137123F8358C69.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Southern Hemisphere (E South America from S Brazil to Tierra del Fuego, Falkland Is (= Malvinas), South Georgia Is, Kerguelen Is, Heard I, Macquarie I, Auckland Is, and Tasmania). Although previously thought to be exclusively coastal, like other members of the genus, recent sightings in oceanic waters of the Antarctic and subantarctic zones suggest that the species actually has a circumpolar distribution and may be largely oceanic.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFB8FF137123F8358C69.taxon	description	Descriptive notes. Total length 150 - 224 cm; weight 50 - 115 kg. Spectacled Porpoises are relatively large members of the genus, reaching total body lengths of 224 cm for males and 204 cm for females. Males are larger than females and also have much larger dorsal fins, which become oval-shaped and proportionately very large. Leading and trailing edges of dorsalfins are both convex. Females and young have dorsal fins more typical in size and shape for the genus. There is only a slight or no beak, and flippers are small, with rounded tips. Color patternis striking, two-tone black and white. Dorsal surface and upper sides are black, and belly and lowersides are white. Boundary between the two is very distinct and runs along flanks. A white “ spectacle ” surrounds each eye. There are black lip and eye patches, and several dark stripes from the gape that run toward the flipper. A faint gray post-dorsal fin saddle may be visible in good lighting. Newborns have a much paler dorsal surface than adults. Tooth counts generally are 17 - 23 in each half of each jaw.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFB8FF137123F8358C69.taxon	biology_ecology	Habitat. Variable habitats, including very deep, oceanic waters, but also in some rivers and turbid channels near shore. Spectacled Porpoises appear to prefer cold waters, with temperatures of 1 - 10 ° C, but in fact, little is known of the ecology ofthis elusive species. The southernmost sighting of Spectacled Porpoisesis currently 64 ° 34 ” S.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFB8FF137123F8358C69.taxon	food_feeding	Food and Feeding. Only a very small handful of stomachs from Spectacled Porpoises have been examined, so very little is understood about their feeding habits or preferences. From what is known, they appear to be opportunistic, feeding on prey items ranging from anchovies (Engraulis) and other small schooling fish to stomatopods and even algae (although the latter items may have been ingested incidentally just before stranding).	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFB8FF137123F8358C69.taxon	breeding	Breeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but births appear to occur primarily in spring and summer.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFB8FF137123F8358C69.taxon	activity	Activity patterns. Numbers of live sightings of Spectacled Porpoises at sea are very limited, and all of these have been opportunistic, so not much is known about their activity patterns. They have inconspicuous surfacing patterns and generally do not ride bow waves or leap clear of the water, although they have been enticed to occasionally surface quickly alongside the bow of research vessels.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFB8FF137123F8358C69.taxon	biology_ecology	Movements, Home range and Social organization. Groupsizes of Spectacled Porpoises are generally small, usually singletons, pairs, and trios. Occasionally groups of up to five individuals have been observed. Mother — offspring pairs are usually seen in the company of at least one attending adult male, and this may be suggestive of a mateguarding mating system, as is observed in Dall’s Porpoise (Phocoenoides dall).	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFB8FF137123F8358C69.taxon	conservation	Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Data Deficient on The [UCN Red List. Just like virtually everything else about the Spectacled Porpoise, little 1 s known of its conservation status. There are no estimates of abundance, and virtually nothing is known about its population structure. The first-ever molecular work on the Spectacled Porpoise indicated a large population off Tierra del Fuego. Some individuals are caught in gillnets when in coastal waters, and there is a record of an individual caught in a mid-water trawl net. They were sometimes harpooned, at least in the past, by Native Fuegians and whalers. The Spectacled Porpoises is not considered endangered or threatened at this point.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFBFFA6C7C95FD288D52.taxon	materials_examined	Argentina, Buenos Aires, “ captured in the mouth of the River Plata. ”	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFBFFA6C7C95FD288D52.taxon	discussion	This species is monotypic.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFBFFA6C7C95FD288D52.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Near-shore waters of South America, from N Peru (5 ° S) S to Cape Horn and up the Atlantic coast to S Brazil (28 ° 50 ” S). Records from Uruguay and Brazil may be associated with N extrusions ofcold water.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFBFFA6C7C95FD288D52.taxon	description	Descriptive notes. Total length 150 - 200 cm; weight 50 - 105 kg. Burmeister’s Porpoises regularly reach lengths of up to 185 cm (although individuals up to 200 cm long have been reported from Uruguay), and males are slightly larger than females. Body shapeis generally typical of that of phocoenids, with a moderately robust form. Head has a very short, poorly defined beak. Flippers are broad-based with rounded tips, and flukes are typical of other small cetaceans. Dorsal fin is unique; it rises at a very shallow angle from the posterior portion of the back and is narrow, with a convex trailing edge and a slightly concave or straight leading edge. There are several small tubercles along leading edge of dorsal fin, and sometimes on flippers, which give Burmeister’s Porpoise its scientific name. Coloration is generally uniform dark gray, with a slightly paler belly. There are subtle stripes, streaks, and patches on the head, including dark eye and lip patches, a dark chin-to-flipper stripe, and pale streaks on chin and undersides. Flipper stripes are asymmetrical, being narrower and extending farther forward on the right side. Tooth counts generally are 10 - 23 in each half of each jaw.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFBFFA6C7C95FD288D52.taxon	biology_ecology	Habitat. Shallow coastal waters from very near the shoreline up to 50 km offshore. Burmeister’s Porpoises occur in some open-ocean waters but also in enclosed bays, channels, and fjords, and they have even been seen upstream in some rivers. They inhabit cooler waters, and water temperature may limit their northern distribution.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFBFFA6C7C95FD288D52.taxon	food_feeding	Food and Feeding. Burmeister’s Porpoises feed on a variety of pelagic and demersal fish and invertebrate species, including anchovies (Engraulis and Anchoa), hake (Merluccius), sardines (Sardinops or Sciaena), silversides (Odontesthes), sculpin (Normanichthys), squid (such as Loligo), and shrimps. In the central coast of Peru, fish generally make up the majority of the prey items (98 %).	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFBFFA6C7C95FD288D52.taxon	breeding	Breeding. Life history of Burmeister’s Porpoise has not been well studied, but sexual maturity appears to occur at lengths of ¢. 160 cm in males and c. 155 cm in females. Gestation lasts ¢. 11 - 12 months. There are apparently protracted summer birthing peaks in most populations, and in Peru (where they have been best studied), most births occur in late summerto early autumn.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFBFFA6C7C95FD288D52.taxon	activity	Activity patterns. Very little is known about behavior and activities of Burmeister’s Porpoises, which have not been the subject of many ecological studies. Like other porpoises, they appear to be shy and inconspicuous, often avoiding vessels. They do not bow ride, and aerial behavior appears to be rather rare.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFBFFA6C7C95FD288D52.taxon	biology_ecology	Movements, Home range and Social organization. They live in small groups that generally number up to six individuals. On occasion, aggregations of up to 70 individuals have been reported, but these are presumably opportunistic. Although little is known for certain, it is expected that social bonds are largely short term and transitory. Essentially nothing is known about individual movements or ranging patterns of Burmeister’s Porpoises because no tagging or photo-identification studies have been conducted.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B2FFFBFFA6C7C95FD288D52.taxon	conservation	Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. Although very little is known about stock structure in Burmeister’s Porpoises, there appear to be separate populations in Peruvian and Chilean-Argentine waters. Nevertheless, it is not clear if there is a distributional gap separating them. Burmeister’s Porpoises have been hunted with harpoons and nets in Peru and Chile, and the meat is mostly used for human consumption (at least in Peru) and shark and crab bait. These direct kills have been supplemented with incidental kills in gillnets. In Peru, up to 2000 porpoises / year may be killed. Like all members of the family, Burmeister’s Porpoises are vulnerable to gillnet entanglement, and these kills are thought to threaten some populations. Other potential threats include mortality in other fisheries, environmental contamination, and habitat alteration. Essentially nothing is known about abundance or population trends of Burmeister’s Porpoises, but the Peruvian population appears threatened by the high kill rates.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBFFFA97DBDF6F08C43.taxon	materials_examined	“ from the northeast shore of Punta San Felipe, Baja California Norte, Gulf of California, Mexico. ”	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBFFFA97DBDF6F08C43.taxon	discussion	This species is monotypic.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBFFFA97DBDF6F08C43.taxon	distribution	Distribution. N Gulf of California (also called the Sea of Cortez) in N Mexico, the smallest known distribution of any marine cetacean.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBFFFA97DBDF6F08C43.taxon	description	Descriptive notes. Total length 120 - 150 cm; weight 30 - 48 kg. Few fresh specimens of the Vaquita have been measured fully and weighed. Dorsalfin is relatively tall for a porpoise ofthis genus (up to 15 cm, or c. 10 % ofthe total body length). Head is blunt, with little or no beak, as in other species of the genus. General body color is dark brownish-gray on back, fading to pale gray or white on belly. There are black patches around eyes and around lips. There is also a darker chin-to-flipper stripe. Neonates are born darker than adults and gradually get paler in color as they age. Tooth counts generally are 16 - 22 in each half of each jaw.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBFFFA97DBDF6F08C43.taxon	biology_ecology	Habitat. Very specific habitat in the northern Gulf of California, although there are some suggestions the distribution of the Vaquita may have extended somewhatfarther south in the past, before it was badly depleted by gillnet fishing. The current range of the Vaquita is characterized by moderately shallow waters (mostly less than 40 m deep) just south of the mouth of the Colorado River. These waters are murky and sedimentladen. They are biologically very productive, with high chlorophyll levels, and can reach very high temperatures in summer and autumn.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBFFFA97DBDF6F08C43.taxon	food_feeding	Food and Feeding. The Vaquita appears to be an opportunistic feeder, eating a variety of small benthic and demersal fish species. Some cephalopods and crustaceans are also eaten. Although only a handful of stomachs have been examined to determine feeding habits, the Vaquita appears to feed mostly on several species of grunts and croakers (Sciaenidae). They also occasionally feed on squid (e. g. Lolliguncula).	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBFFFA97DBDF6F08C43.taxon	breeding	Breeding. Very little is known about reproduction of the Vaquita because there has only been a single study (using small samples) of its life history. Porpoises, in general, reach sexual maturity at 3 - 6 years of age, and females appear to give birth every other year (unusual for porpoises that usually have annual reproduction). Gestation is ¢. 10 - 11 months. Breeding of the Vaquita appears to be strongly seasonal, with most births occurring in March-April. The oldest known Vaquita was 21 years old, but they may sometimes live a bit beyond this age.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBFFFA97DBDF6F08C43.taxon	activity	Activity patterns. There have been no detailed studies of the behavior of the Vaquita, and all that has been learned comes from opportunistic sightings or those that occurred during other types of studies. Vaquitas are generally considered to be elusive and difficult to approach. They have a low, cryptic surfacing pattern that generally does not produce any splash or visible blow. They tend to stay many hundreds of meters away from large, motorized vessels, but they may occasionally approach smaller, idling vessels. When foraging, they generally surface 3 - 5 times and then perform a longer dive that may last several minutes. Their surfacing behavior is very unpredictable. They do not ride bow waves of boats and have never been observed breaching or performing other aerial displays.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBFFFA97DBDF6F08C43.taxon	biology_ecology	Movements, Home range and Social organization. Essentially nothing is known of individual movements or home range patterns of Vaquitas because specimens have never been tagged. Photo-identification of individuals is possible, and although it has not been used much to date, such studies in the future may shed some light on this issue. Porpoises are generally observed alone or in small groups of 2 - 4 individuals (often consisting of several mother — offspring pairs). Vaquitas occasionally gather into large foraging aggregations that may consist of up to ten or more individuals, but these groups havelittle or no cohesion. These aggregations are presumably related to good feeding opportunities.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBFFFA97DBDF6F08C43.taxon	conservation	Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix I. Classified as Critically Endangered on The [UCN Red List. The Vaquita is also listed as endangered on nationallegislation in Mexico and the USA. It is currently considered by many to be the most endangered marine mammal species in the world. The entire population of the Vaquita was estimated at 245 individuals in 2008, and this represents a nearly 8 % annual decline in numbers estimated by the same methods in 1997. If this decline has continued, then the Vaquita would number less than 200 individuals in 2013. There are a number of potential threats, but only entanglement in gillnets has been documented as the definite cause of death for most specimens examined. Until recently, the major culprit was the fishery for totoaba (Totoaba macdonaldi, a sea bass found in the northern Gulf of California), but in the last couple of decades, other gillnetfisheries have become more prominent within the distribution of the Vaquita. Targets of these fisheries include several species of finfish, sharks, rays, and in particular shrimps. The Mexican government has embarked on an ambitious program to save the Vaquita, involving elimination of gillnetfishing within its distribution. New fishing gear (mini trawl nets) has been developed to replace gillnets that cause most mortality, but implementation has been slow. Mortality in gillnets continues, and it 1 s uncertain whether it can be reduced to insignificant levels in time to save the Vaquita — the next 5 - 10 years will be critical. The new presidential administration in Mexico appears to be genuinely supportive of conservation of the Vaquita.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBEFAA37CACF7E58B01.taxon	materials_examined	“ Habitat in Oceano Europao & Balthico ” (= Baltic Sea, “ Swedish Seas ”).	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBEFAA37CACF7E58B01.taxon	discussion	In addition to the subspecies listed below, there is also an unnamed subspecies recognized from the western North Pacific Ocean. Three subspecies recognized.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBEFAA37CACF7E58B01.taxon	distribution	Subspecies and Distribution. P. p. phocoenaLinnaeus, 1758 — coastalwatersoftheNAtlanticOcean. P. p. relictaAbel, 1905 — coastalwatersof theBlackSea, theAzovandMarmaraseas (isolatedpopulation). AfewstragglersfromthispopulationshowupperiodicallyintheAegeanSea, buttheydonotoccurthroughoutmostoftheMediterraneanSea. P. p. vomerina Gill, 1865 — coastal waters of the NE Pacific Ocean. A still unnamed form is present in the coastal waters of the NW Pacific Ocean.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBEFAA37CACF7E58B01.taxon	description	Descriptive notes. Total length 130 - 200 cm; weight 45 - 75 kg. Harbor Porpoises are small cetaceans, growing to a maximum length of only ¢. 200 cm. Most adults are less than 180 cm long. Body is robust, with small appendages. There are small tubercles (or denticles) on the leading edge of the dorsal fin and sometimes also on flippers. Beak is very short and poorly defined, and dorsalfin is low, triangular, and wide-based. Color pattern is somewhat bland at first appearance, but it is actually more complex when analyzed in detail. Body is generally counter-shaded, with a dark gray back and white belly. Generally, dark and pale regions blend into each other, but margins between the two are often splotchy and streaked. Appendages are all dark, and there is a dark stripe running from gape to flipper, and there are also dark streaks on the lower jaw. There is a great deal of individual variation in color pattern, but no obvious differences among different populations have been identified. Thirty-four records of anomalously white individuals (three patterns have been observed, some perhaps albinos) have been recorded in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Newborns have a muted color pattern, generally of subdued tones of dark and pale gray. Tooth counts generally are 19 - 28 in each half of each jaw.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBEFAA37CACF7E58B01.taxon	biology_ecology	Habitat. Shallow waters throughout the temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere, over the continental shelf, and usually near shore, although Harbor Porpoises may travel quite far from shore in some places and have been recorded in deep waters between land masses. They may also occur in deep waters in some inshore regions, such as in south-eastern Alaska, but only where there are shallow waters nearby. Habitat of the Harbor Porpoise is cool temperate to subpolar waters, generally with low water temperatures.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBEFAA37CACF7E58B01.taxon	food_feeding	Food and Feeding. Harbor Porpoises are opportunistic feeders, although their main prey appears to vary on regional and seasonal scales. In the North Atlantic, they feed primarily on clupeoids and gadoids, while in the North Pacific, they prey largely on engraulids and scorpaenids. They eat a wide variety offish and cephalopods, although the diet in any specific area may be dominated by just a few species. Harbor Porpoises feed heavily on small schooling fish that occur in the water column, such as herring and sprat (Clupeidae), capelin (Mallotus), hake (Merluccius), and mackerel (Scomber, Scombridae); they also consume market squid (Loligo) in some areas. Although many of these prey species occur in the water column, many of the other prey species are benthic or demersal. Benthic invertebrates are sometimes also consumed, but these are generally considered to be secondarily ingested. In the north-eastern Atlantic, there has apparently been a long-term shift from predation on declining stocks of clupeid fish (mainly herring, Clupea harengus) to sand lance (Ammodytidae) and gadoid fish.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBEFAA37CACF7E58B01.taxon	breeding	Breeding. Reproductive biology of the Harbor Porpoise has been studied more extensively than for any other member of the family, due to the large number of specimens that have been available from strandings and incidental catches in fisheries. Mating system of the Harbor Porpoise is thought to be promiscuous. Anatomical evidence (Harbor Porpoises have some of the largest testes relative to body mass of any mammal species) has for some time suggested that sperm competition may be the primary way that males compete to inseminate females. Recent behavioral observations of Harbor Porpoises in the San Francisco Bay area (USA) appear to support this idea. Young are typically born in April-August (late spring through mid-summer), after gestation of ¢. 10 - 11 months. Offspring are weaned before they reach one year of age. Sexual maturity occurs at 3 — 4 years of age and lengths of 120 - 150 cm. There is geographic variation in these parameters among different populations, and densitydependent variation has also been documented. Harbor Porpoises regularly interbreed and produce hybrids with Dall’s Porpoises (Phocoenoides dalli) in the inshore waters of the Pacific Northwest (Washington State, USA and southern British Columbia, Canada) and occasionally elsewhere where the two species are sympatric. It is virtually always the case that the mother is a Dall’s Porpoise and the father is a Harbor Porpoise, and this is what would be predicted, based on their respective mating systems (Dall’s are considered polygynous, with males apparently not using sperm competition, but guarding females to prevent insemination by other males). Harbor Porpoiseslive into their 20 s, although in some areas most individuals may die before they reach twelve years of age.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBEFAA37CACF7E58B01.taxon	activity	Activity patterns. Harbor Porpoises are shy and unobtrusive animals, with a low surfacing profile and not a great deal of aerial behavior. They do not ride bow waves of vessels, and in many cases, they appear to actively avoid motorized vessels. There are exceptions to this, and at least in the San Francisco Bay area, they may be more approachable. These individuals sometimes lie nearly motionless at the surface for several seconds, and it is not clear why they do this. The typical surfacing pattern is a slow roll, in which the individual does not create any splash. At times, they do move faster and surface with a sloppy splash (this is called “ pop-splashing, ” and the splash looks very different from the more V-shaped splash of a rooster-tailing Dall’s Porpoise). Diving behavior of Harbor Porpoises has been studied with time-depth recording tags. Although most dives last less than one minute, Harbor Porpoises have been found to be capable of diving to depths of at least 220 m and for periods of more than five minutes.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBEFAA37CACF7E58B01.taxon	biology_ecology	Movements, Home range and Social organization. Singles or small groups of less than a half-dozen Harbor Porpoises are most commonly seen, although they do aggregate, at times, into loose groupings of 50 to several hundred individuals. This occurs mostly when feeding on an aggregated food source or during migration, and these large groups generally have little structure. Movement patterns of individual Harbor Porpoises are not very well known, but it is known that they are capable of large-scale movements of many hundreds to thousands of kilometers. On the other hand, repeated sightings of identifiable individuals in San Francisco Bay show that some populations may have more limited movements. Not much is known about social organization of Harbor Porpoises, but most bonds outside the mother — offspring pair appear to be weak, and there do not seem to be any other long-term associations.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B28FFBEFAA37CACF7E58B01.taxon	conservation	Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Least Concern on The [IUCN Red List. The subspecies relicta is classified as Endangered, and the Baltic Sea population, which only numbers ¢. 500 - 600 individuals, is classified as Critically Endangered. Other subspecies have not been evaluated separately on The IUCN Red List. There has been a long and somewhat tragic history of human interactions with Harbor Porpoises. Hunting has occurred in many different parts ofits distribution, especially in northern European waters. Major hunts have occurred in the Black Sea, Baltic Sea, and the Bay of Fundy, and in the waters off western Greenland (the latter is still active). Many of these caused depletion of local populations. More recently, bycatch from fisheries, especially in various forms of gillnets or trammel nets, has been responsible for threatening existence of populations throughout the distribution of the Harbor Porpoise. The largest mortality has occurred in fisheries in the Gulf of Maine, western Greenland, North Sea, and Celtic Shelf, but smaller kills have occurred almost everywhere the Harbor Porpoise occurs. It is believed that Harbor Porpoises can normally detect gillnets at distances necessary to avoid entanglement, but accidents may happen due to attention shifts or auditory masking. Use of acoustic alarms (“ pingers ”) and other mitigation measures have managed to reduce mortality in many areas, but the only way to eliminate bycatch completely is to eliminate gillnets. Catches of Harbor Porpoises in trawls, set nets, herring weirs, pound nets, cod traps, and even anti-submarine nets have also been documented and have taken their toll. Other threats include detrimental effects of environmental contaminants, vessel traffic, anthropogenic noise impacts, prey depletion, and habitat deterioration or destruction. The Harbor Porpoise is not rare and not endangered. Globally, there may be more than 675,000 Harbor Porpoises. Nevertheless, particular populations in many areas have been impacted by human activities and quite a few of these are indeed threatened and in need of protection.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B29FFBDFA6C7A28F60D8BEB.taxon	materials_examined	USA, Alaska, “ in the strait west of Adakh [sic] Island, one of the Aleutian group. ”	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B29FFBDFA6C7A28F60D8BEB.taxon	discussion	Two subspecies are recognized.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B29FFBDFA6C7A28F60D8BEB.taxon	distribution	Subspecies and Distribution. P. d. dalli True, 1885 — cool temperate regions of the N Pacific Ocean from Japan to Alaska and S to N Baja California, Mexico. P d. truee Andrews, 1911 — NW Pacific ÚCCZUI waters ¢. 35 - 534 ° N, including the Okhotsk Sea.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B29FFBDFA6C7A28F60D8BEB.taxon	description	Descriptive notes. Total length 165 - 240 cm; weight 60 - 200 kg. Dall’s Porpoise is the largest member of the family, reaching lengths of up to 240 cm for males and 220 cm for females. It is very stocky, with a very small head and small appendages. There is a very slight, poorly defined beak. Dorsal fin is wide-based and triangular, and in males, it is extremely canted forward. Tailstock is deepened, exceedingly in adult males. Flukes may have a convex trailing edge, especially in adult males. Color pattern is contrasting black and white, with a large, ventrally continuous, white flank patch (extending farther forward in the subspecies truei) and white frosting on upper margins of dorsal fin and trailing edge of flukes. In newborns, color pattern is muted, consisting of various shades of gray, and frosting on fin and flukes is absent. Color pattern becomes bolder as individuals age, and frosting (or trim) begins to appear in the first year of age. Tooth counts generally are 23 - 28 in each half of each jaw.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B29FFBDFA6C7A28F60D8BEB.taxon	biology_ecology	Habitat. Deep, cold waters. Dall’s Porpoises are generally found far offshore, but they do occur in nearshore waters where there is water deeper than 100 - 200 m nearby. They are commonly seen in the inshore waters of north-western USA (Washington, Alaska) and west Canada (British Columbia), where they inhabit deep channels and passes.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B29FFBDFA6C7A28F60D8BEB.taxon	food_feeding	Food and Feeding. Dall’s Porpoises are opportunistic feeders, taking a wide variety of prey items. These include mostly mid-water and surface-living fish and cephalopods, such as herring (Clupea), anchovies (Engraulis), sardines (Sardinops, Clupeidae), hake (Merluccius), sauries (Cololabis, Scomberesocidae), lanternfish (Myctophidae), and gonatid squid (Gonatidae). They occasionally consume invertebrates such as krill, decapods, and various species of shrimps, but these latter items are not considered to be their primary prey.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B29FFBDFA6C7A28F60D8BEB.taxon	breeding	Breeding. Dall’s Porpoise is a seasonal breeder, with all populations known to have a very strong birthing peak in summer. Age and length at sexual maturity appear to vary among different populations, but they generally occur at 4 - 7 years of age and lengths of 170 - 190 cm for females and 3 - 5 - 8 years and 180 - 200 cm for males. Gestation lasts c. 11 months, and offspring are generally nursed for less than one year. Mating system of Dall’s Porpoise is strongly polygynous, with males apparently using their sexually dimorphic morphologic characters to compete directly for females, and then guarding the female from other potential suitors. In inshore waters of Washington, where they overlap in distribution with Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), the two species regularly appear to interbreed and produce hybrids, and this also is known to occur elsewhere in their distributions. In these cases, a Dall’s Porpoise is generally the maternal parent. Longevity is rarely much greater than 20 years.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B29FFBDFA6C7A28F60D8BEB.taxon	activity	Activity patterns. Dall’s Porpoise is an active, energetic species. It may be the fastest swimmer of the cetaceans, at least for short bursts. They are most frequently seen swimming very quickly and throwing up a large V-shaped rooster-tail of spray as they surface to breathe at high speed, bringing only very little of their body above the surface. When riding bow waves of vessels, which they do frequently, they rooster-tail on virtually every surfacing, but at other times, they slow down and surface in a slow roll, with no splash. Breaching, spy hopping, and other types of aerial displays are not common, and they very rarely porpoise completely clear of the water.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B29FFBDFA6C7A28F60D8BEB.taxon	biology_ecology	Movements, Home range and Social organization. Dall’s Porpoises are most commonly found as singletons and pairs, or in small groups of up to a dozen. They occasionally gather in large groups of several dozens or even hundreds (although these opportunistic aggregations do not have any particular structure). Groups of up to several thousand have been reported, but there is some doubt as to correct species identification in these cases. Seasonal movements of population segments of Dall’s Porpoises are known, with increased densities near shore and in more southern areas in winter, and corresponding northern and offshore shifts in summer. Little is known about home ranges or movements of individual Dall’s Porpoises because specimens have rarely been identified, either through photo-identification studies or tagging work. Based on what little is known, however, it would appear that they can undergorather extensive movements of at least several hundred kilometers in pelagic portions of their distribution.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
03B887D96B29FFBDFA6C7A28F60D8BEB.taxon	conservation	Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red Last, reflecting the large numbers that occur throughout the North Pacific Ocean. The subspecies dalli and true: have not been evaluated separately on The IUCN Red List. Dall’s Porpoise has been hunted heavily in Japanese waters, where they are the main target species of a harpoon fishery based in Hokkaido. Meatis used for human consumption and pet food. It has also been incidentally killed in very large numbers in several pelagic driftnet fisheries that have operated in waters ofJapan, Russia, and the USA (Alaska). Other potential threats include occasional kills in trawl nets, environmental contamination, anthropogenic noise disturbance, and habitat deterioration, but fishery kills are major factors affecting populations. Several populations in the western Pacific have been depleted by these kills, and their future is uncertain because Japan has often set kill quotas that are unsustainable, ignoring advice from their own nationals and the international community. The total number of Dall’s Porpoises in the North Pacific may be over 1 - 2 million individuals. Specific populations are estimated at 104,000 in waters offJapan, 554,000 in the Okhotsk Sea, 83,000 off Alaska, and 100,000 off the US West Coast.	en	Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson (2014): Phocoenidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 4 Sea Mammals. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 528-545, ISBN: 978-84-96553-93-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6607321
