Captive-born bottlenose dolphin × common dolphin (Tursiops truncatus × Delphinus capensis) intergeneric hybrids
Four bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) × long-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus capensis) F1 hybrids were born at SeaWorld California between August 1992 and March 1993 to four different bottlenose dolphin dams. Based on coloration patterns of the neonates at the time of birth, as well as time of conception and blood protein electrophoretic analysis, the sire was determined to be a long-beaked common dolphin that was housed with the dams. Two of the F1 hybrids, a male and a female, are alive today and the female gave birth to a live-born backcross (B1) calf sired by a T. truncatus in October 2000. Morphometric and color pattern descriptions are presented here for the two living captive-born F1 hybrids, as well as for the B1 neonate. We have highlighted characteristics that might be indicative of T. truncatus × D. capensis hybridization, including intermediacy between the parents for tooth counts, color and striping patterns, and certain body proportions of the F1 hybrids. The overall size and appearance of the B1 calf were similar to those of a T. truncatus neonate. This note confirms fertility of these intergeneric hybrids.