Australian Snubfin Dolphin

The Australian snubfin dolphin (Orcaella heinsohni) is a dolphin found off the northern coasts of Australia. It closely resembles the Irrawaddy dolphin (of the same genus, Orcaella) and was not described as a separate species until 2005. The closest relative to the genus Orcaella is the killer whale, Orcinus orca. The Australian snubfin has three colors on its skin, while the Irrawaddy dolphin only has two. The skull and the fins also show minor differences between the two species. == Taxonomy == The taxonomic specific name, heinsohni, was chosen in honour of George Heinsohn, an Australian biologist who worked at James Cook University, "for his pioneering work on northeast Australian odontocetes, including the collection and initial analysis of Orcaella heinsohni specimens which form the basis for much of our knowledge of the new species". New species of large mammals are quite rarely described nowadays, and those that are usually are from remote areas — such as the saola - or are otherwise rarely encountered, see for example Perrin's beaked whale, or the spade-toothed whale, which is only known from two complete specimens and a few bones cast ashore. In fact, the Australian snubfin was the first new dolphin species to…