Risso's Dolphin

Open encyclopedia reference

Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) is the only species of the genus Grampus in the family Delphinidae (dolphins). Some of the most closely related species to these dolphins include: pilot whales (Globicephala spp.), pygmy killer whales (Feresa attenuata), melon-headed whales (Peponocephala electra), and false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens). These dolphins grow to be about 10 ft in length and can be identified by heavy scarring that appears white. They are located worldwide in cold to temperate waters, but most typically found along continental shelves due to their eating habits. Risso's dolphins have a diet that contains primarily cephalopods. They are able to search for prey at various depths due to their ability to reach depths of almost 600 m (2,000 ft). Individuals typically travel in pods ranging from 10 to 50 dolphins, with which they form tight social bonds. Like most marine species, Risso's dolphins suffer from anthropogenic disruptions to the environment. Pollution, both from noise and plastics, is a common cause of higher mortality rates. Many can be, or have been, affected by entanglement in fishing nets and whaling.

Wikipedia contributors, Risso's dolphin; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T04:33:49.446031+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.

Identity & source status

Scientific name

Grampus griseus (G. Cuvier, 1812)

Name authority

(G. Cuvier, 1812)

Common name

Risso's Dolphin

Rank

species

Accepted status

accepted

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Cetacea

Family

Delphinidae

Genus

Grampus

Extinction status

Recorded extant

Classification family tree

Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.

1. domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
2. kingdomAnimalia
3. phylumChordata
4. subphylumVertebrata
5. infraphylumGnathostomata
6. parvphylumOsteichthyes
7. megaclassTetrapoda
8. classMammalia Linnaeus, 1758
9. subclassTheria Parker & Haswell, 1897
10. infraclassEutheria Gill, 1872
11. orderCetacea Brisson, 1762
12. suborderOdontoceti Flower, 1867
13. familyDelphinidae Gray, 1821
14. genusGrampus Gray, 1828
15. speciesGrampus griseus (G. Cuvier, 1812)

Close classified relatives

No other member of this genus is present in the selected snapshot.

Browse 32 records assigned to Delphinidae.

Names & synonyms

Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.

Documented distribution

Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.

Source literature & publication evidence

References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.

1. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=180457 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references

Origins, evidence & remaining research

Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.

Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.

Dataset citation & attribution

This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11

Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.

Stable key: col:3H7KR. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.