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BC Conservation Data Centre: Species Summary


Lagenorhynchus obliquidens
Pacific White-sided Dolphin

 
Scientific Name: Lagenorhynchus obliquidens Gill, 1865
Scientific Name Synonyms: Sagmatias obliquidens
English Name: Pacific White-sided Dolphin
 
Classification / Taxonomy
Scientific Name - Concept Reference: Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.
Classification Level: Species
Taxonomy Comments: Dec. 2025 - changed from Lagenorhynchus to Sagmatias as per NatureServe (NTH)
Jan. 2006 - changed from Sagmatias obliquidens to Lagenorhynchus obliquidens as per NatureServe (DDW).
Changed to Sagmatias obliquidens from Lagenorhynchus obliquidens to align with NatureServe (Feb 21, 2005 DDW).
GNAME GENUS CHANGED TO SAGMATIAS MARCH 2000, BUT DAVE NAGORSEN DECIDED TO RETAIN THE USE OF LAGENORHYNCHUS IN BC
Species Group: Vertebrate Animal
Species Code: M-SAOB
Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family
Animalia Craniata Mammalia Cetacea Delphinidae
   
Conservation Status / Legal Designation
Global Status: G5 (Apr 2016)
Provincial Status: S5 (Mar 2022)
BC List: Yellow
Provincial FRPA list:   
Provincial Wildlife Act:
COSEWIC Status: Not at Risk (May 1990)
SARA Schedule:
General Status Canada:
   
Ecology & Life History
General Description:
Global Reproduction Comments: Calving season has been reported to be summer, but in recent studies calves have been found primarily in early fall (Leatherwood and Reeves 1983).

High seas drift net samples in Central North Pacific (Ferrero and Walker 1996): a calving period preceded sampling during late winter and spring; estimated gestation period 11-12 months; males sexually mature in 10-11 years, females in 8-11 years.
Global Ecology Comments: Gregarious. Forms herds of a thousand or more, though usually groups are of several hundred or less; herds generally are of all age classes and both sexes.
Migration Characteristics:
(Global / Provincial)		 
    Nonmigrant:
    Local Migrant:
    Distant Migrant:
    Within Borders Migrant: 		N /
N /
N /
na /
Global Migration Comments: Seasonal movements not well understood in most areas. Off southern and central California and northwestern Baja California, apparently resident pods are augmented during fall through spring by influxes of animals possibly from north and offshore (Leatherwood and Reeves 1983).
Habitats:
(Type / Subtype / Dependence) 		Ocean / Pelagic / Facultative - frequent use
Ocean / Sheltered Waters - Marine / Facultative - frequent use
Global Habitat Comments: Mostly between seaward edge of continental slope and 100-fathom contour; sometimes closer to shore if there is deep water nearby (Leatherwood and Reeves 1983). In Canada, depth of water at sighting locations ranged from 10 to 2000 fathoms, with mean, median, and modal depths of 617, 400, and 100 fathoms, respectively (Stacey and Baird 1991).
Provincial Habitat Comments: Marine
Food Habits: Invertivore: Adult, Immature
Piscivore: Adult, Immature
Global Food Habits Comments: Eats various fishes (anchovies, hake, sauries) and squid. Apparently feeds primarily at night. Has been seen at dawn and dusk feeding with gulls on small surfacing balls of unidentified bait fishes. (Leatherwood and Reeves 1983).
Global Phenology: Circadian: Adult, Immature
Global Phenology Comments: Feeding may occur mainly at night.
Provincial Phenology:
(1st half of month/
2nd half of month)
Colonial Breeder: N
Length(cm)/width(cm)/Weight(g): 2700/ / 150000
Elevation (m) (min / max): Global: 
Provincial: 
   
 
Distribution
Endemic: N
Global Range Comment: Kamchatka Peninsula, Amchitka Island, and Kodiak Island south into Sea of Japan and along entire Pacific coast of Japan, and south to tip of Baja California in the eastern Pacific.
 
Authors / Contributors
Global Information Author: Hammerson, G.
Last Updated: May 06, 1994
Provincial Information Author:
Last Updated:
   
References and Related Literature
Ferrero, R. C., and W. A. Walker. 1996. Age, growth, and reproductive patterns of the Pacific white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) taken in high seas drift nets in the central North Pacific Ocean. Candian Journal of Zoology 74:1673-1687.
Heise, K.A. 1996. Life history parameters of the Pacific white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) and its diet and occurrence in the coastal waters of British Columbia. MSc Thesis, University of BC.
IUCN (World Conservation Union). 1991. Dolphins, Porpoises and Whales of the World: the IUCN Red Data Book. M. Klinowska (compiler). IUCN, Gland, Switzerland, and Cambridge, United Kingdom. viii + 429 pp.
Jones, J. K., Jr., R. S. Hoffman, D. W. Rice, C. Jones, R. J. Baker, and M. D. Engstrom. 1992a. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 1991. Occasional Papers, The Museum, Texas Tech University, 146:1-23.
Leatherwood, S., and R. R. Reeves. 1983. The Sierra Club handbook of whales and dolphins. Sierra Club Books, San Francisco. 302 pp.
Stacey, P. J., and R. W. Baird. 1991. Status of the Pacific white-sided dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens, in Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 105:219-232.
Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.
 

Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for definitions of the data fields used in this summary report.

Suggested Citation:

B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 1994. Species Summary: Lagenorhynchus obliquidens. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Jun 8, 2026).