Order: Cetacea
Family: Delphinidae
Genus, Species: Tursiops truncatus

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Bottlenose Dolphins vary in size depending upon their location. In the Pacific Ocean, bottlenose dolphins may be 12 ft and weigh 454 kg (1,000 lb.).  Whereas in the Mediterranean, bottlenose dolphins may grow to 3.7 m (12 ft.) or more.
These differences in body size and skull dimensions may be related to habitat differences.

HABITAT

Bottlenose Dolphins are located all over the world. They live in temperate and tropical waters throughout the world. Bottlenose dolphins are found off the shores of Nova Scotia, Norway to Patagonia, and the tip of South Africa. However, in the United States, they are most widely found from Cape Cod through the Gulf of Mexico.