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Dolphins vary in appearance because of how many species there are. All dolphins have a smooth, streamlined body without hair (dolphins have a mustache that quickly falls out when born); flukes at the end of their tail for propulsion; and pectoral fins on the sides of their body. A dolphin's flukes move up-and-down whereas fish move their tails side-to-side.

Dolphins may or may not have a dorsal fin, but many species do. An example of a species without a dorsal fin is the Southern Right Whale Dolphin (Lissodelphis peronii).

The bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is what many people think of when they think of a dolphin. Bottlenose dolphins are gray on top and light gray to white underneath; they grow to be about 10 feet long; they have a bulbous forehead called a melon; and they have a dorsal fin.

There are many other species ranging in size, color, and shape.

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17y ago

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