Common Cetaceans Around the Maltese Islands

Striped Dolphin

Stenella

Stenella coeruleoalba {Meyen, 1833}

Crescent-shaped clear marking extending from the eye to the dorsal fin. Dark back, white belly.

Maximum length 2.3 m

Common Dolphin

Denfil

Delphinus delphis {Linnaeus, 1758}

Dark back, flanks with a dark zone forming a downward point opposed to the dorsal fin.

Maximum length 2.3 m

Bottlenose Dolphin

Denfil Geddumu Qasir

Tursiops truncatus {Montagu, 1821}

Short wide snout and falcate dorsal fin; dark gray coloration.

Maximum length 3.5 m

Risso's Dolphin

Denfil ta' Risso

Grampus griseus {G. Cuvier, 1812}

Rounded head with a slight groove before the blowhole. High pointed dorsal fin. Grayish coloration with white scarring.

Maximum length 4m.

Long-Finned Pilot Whale

Balena Sewda

Globicephala melaena {Traill, 1809}

Very rounded frontal bump. Low and long dorsal fin. Colour: overall black with white ventral region.

Maximum length 7m.

Killer Whale

Orka

Orcinus orca {Linnaeus, 1758}

Rounded head. Very high and pointed dorsal fin (male). Colour is black with white patches behind the eye and the dorsal fin.

Maximum Length (male) 9m.

Sperm Whale

Gabdoll

Physeter catodon {Linnaeus, 1766}

Massive square head. Dorsal hump followed by crenulations. Oblique forward directed blow. Sounds with its flukes well out of the water.

Maximum length (male) 16m.

Fin Whale

Balena Kbira

Balaenoptera physalus {Linnaeus, 1758}

Long pointed head. Small dorsal fin located on the rear third of the body. Overall gray except the white right lower jaw. Straight blow.

Maximum length 25m.