Spinner Dolphins
Stenella longirostris
Acrobatic night hunters that spin above the waves.
Spinner Dolphins hunt small deep-water animals at night, then rest together in sheltered daytime bays. Their famous leaps can include several complete corkscrew turns before splashdown.
Find this SeaPal in the card gallery
From field guide to game table
Bring these Spinner Dolphins home
See which ready-to-play decks feature these SeaPals. Try one in the simulator before you buy, or explore each full deck list.
- 2 copies
Ready-to-play deck
Coral Garden Deck
Includes 2 cards featuring Spinner Dolphins.
Quick dive
Creature passport
- Home
- Tropical oceans worldwide, with some groups resting near islands and reefs.
- Favorite foods
- Small fishes, squid, and shrimp that rise toward the surface at night.
- Size check
- About 4–7 ft (1.2–2.1 m) — bicycle to sofa length
Tell-your-friends facts
Four wonderfully wild things
- 1
One leap may include as many as four full body revolutions.
- 2
Their long scientific species name means long-snouted.
- 3
They use whistles and clicks to stay in contact and find prey.
- 4
Many have a three-part pattern: dark back, gray sides, and pale belly.
Ocean superpower
Built to be amazing
A powerful leap becomes a rapid midair spin used in social signaling.
Junior scientist tip
What should I look for?
Watch for a slender beak, three-tone body, and corkscrew leaps.
Grown-up research links
We used trusted science organizations to check this profile.