Hector's Dolphin

Open encyclopedia reference

Hector's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori) is one of six dolphin species belonging to the genus Cephalorhynchus. Hector's dolphin is the only cetacean endemic to New Zealand, and comprises two subspecies: C. h. hectori, the more numerous subspecies, also referred to as South Island Hector's dolphin, and C. h. maui, the critically endangered Māui dolphin that is found off the West Coast of New Zealand's North Island.

Distinctive features of the species include a rounded dorsal fin, grey, white, and black coloration, and a stocky body shape. Their lifespan is typically around 20 years, and the species favours shallow coastal waters around the South Island, where they live in small groups and use echolocation clicks to communicate.

Threats to the species include bycatch in gillnets and trawls, disease, genetic issues, and additional anthropogenic hazards. Action to conserve the species has been taken through the establishment of marine protected areas and other recent protections.

Wikipedia contributors, Hector's dolphin; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T05:17:57.084040+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.

Identity & source status

Scientific name

Cephalorhynchus hectori (P.-J. van Bénéden, 1881)

Name authority

(P.-J. van Bénéden, 1881)

Common name

Hector's Dolphin

Rank

species

Accepted status

accepted

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Cetacea

Family

Delphinidae

Genus

Cephalorhynchus

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. genusCephalorhynchus Gray, 1846
15. speciesCephalorhynchus hectori (P.-J. van Bénéden, 1881)

Close classified relatives

These entries share the source’s genus, Cephalorhynchus. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.

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=180452 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.

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:5XJ6M. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.