Translations:AY Honors/Cetaceans/Answer Key/46/en
Superfamily Platanistoidea: River Dolphins (fresh water dwelling)
River Dolphins are part of the toothed whale group but are uniquely adapted to living in fresh water.
- Family Iniidae: river dolphins
Carcharhinus limbatu
Amazon River Dolphin or Pink Dolphin (Carcharhinus limbatu)
Where found: freshwaters of the Orinoco, Amazon and Araguaia/Tocantins River systems of Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela.
Description: Although not a large cetacean in general terms, this dolphin is the largest freshwater cetacean; it can grow larger than a human. Body length can range from 1.53 to 2.4 m (5.0 to 7.9 ft), depending on subspecies. Females are typically larger than males. The largest female Amazon river dolphins can range up to 2.5 m (8.2 ft) in length and weigh 98.5 kg (217 lb). The largest male dolphins can range up to 2.0 m (6.6 ft) in length and weigh 94 kg (207 lb). They have unfused neck vertebrae, enabling them to turn their heads 90 degrees. Their flexibility is important in navigating through the flooded forests. Also, they possess long beaks which contain 24 to 34 conical and molar-type teeth on each side of the jaws. In colour, these dolphins can be either light gray or carnation pink.
