Dolphin Anatomy
An "X-ray" view of the Bottlenose Dolphin.
Mammals, the dolphins have surprising skeletons.
With arms and no legs, and brains behind their eyes,
they are different than one expects.
We see clearly that the area that holds the melon is large and to the fore,
while the brain is inside the cranium.
This is an Amazon River Dolphin skull, for comparison.
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A Bottlenose Dolphin brain.
Dr. Lori Marino and a dolphin brain.
The Indus River Dolphin has an odd addition to its skull,
with two large bony "combs" that support the melon.
A Common Dolphin and an Indus Dolphin skull.
Bottlenose (bottom) vs Indus dolphin brains.
The arm and "hand" bones of the cetacean are
in the same number and proportion as the human arm and hand bones.
Inside their mitten-like pectoral flippers
are these remarkably familiar structures.
Dolphins make sounds in many ways.
From the blowhole come whistles and squeaks;
from the throat come clicks;
from the teeth come such high frequency sounds,
they are entirely beyond human hearing, and are classed as "radio frequencies".
