Mammals of North Carolina:
their Distribution and Abundance
Clymene Dolphin - Stenella clymene
Delphinidae Members: 		Search Common:                 Search Scientific:
Distribution In NC waters, distribution is not well known, but likely occurs from VA to SC, at least in the Gulf Stream and beyond.

Only in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, and in the Atlantic only in warmer waters, north to about NJ.
Abundance Probably rare or poorly known; first reported only in the 1990's in the state. The NOAA website indicates four sightings off the NC coast in recent years, plus a stranding on the NC coast in August 2004. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History mammal collections (2021) lists three stranding records for NC -- in Carteret County in 1999, Dare County in 2000, and in Onslow County in 2004. A group of 120 or more was seen off Cape Hatteras on a birding trip on 10 August 1998; photo on the Ocean Wanderers website. A group of 40 was seen off that cape on a boat trip on 25 May 2003; photo on the Seabirding website.
Seasonal Occurrence Probably year-round, as the species is apparently not strongly migratory. However, most of the records seem to be during the "summer" months; however, one stranding in the NMNH database is for 28 November (2000).
Habitat Occurs in warm waters, in the Gulf Stream or farther to sea; probably not found in the cool Labrador Current.
Behavior This is a relatively short, chunky dolphin with a short snout. Despite that, it is very active and often jumps completely out of the water so that its dark saddle below the dorsal fin can be seen. It occurs in groups of 30-100 or more. One group in NC contained at least 120 individuals.
Comments This species might not really be rare off NC, because it occurs far offshore. Perhaps the species is increasing, as there are a good handful of records now, all in the past 20 years. Webster et al. (1995) reported no strandings of Clymene Dolphins in NC, through 1995; however, the above websites do list several more recent strandings.
Origin Native
NC List Official
State Rank S2?M
State Status
Global Rank G4
Federal Status
subspecies
other_comName Short-snouted Spinner Dolphin
synonym
NC Map
Map depicts all counties with a report (transient or resident) for the species.		Click on county for list of all database records for species in that county.