Physical Description
The hourglass dolphin is colored black and white and sometimes variations of dark grey. For this reason was colloquially known by whalers as a "sea cow". Each flank has a white patch at the front, above the beak, eye and flipper, and a second patch at the rear. These two patches are connected by a thin white strip, creating, loosely speaking, an hourglass shape and hence the common name of the dolphin. The scientific name cruciger is Latin for "cross-carrier". This refers to the area of black coloration, which, viewed from above, vaguely resembles a Maltese cross or cross pattée.
In its usual range the dolphin is easily identifiable. Only the southern right whale dolphin is of comparable size and lives as far south. The right whale dolphin does not have a dorsal fin, so the two species are easily distinguished. The fin considerably varies across individuals. It is generally tall and curved, and the curve may be particularly pronounced in older animals.
A fully grown adult is about 1.8 meters (5.9 ft) length and weighs 90–120 kilograms (200–260 lb). Males are thought to be slightly smaller and lighter than females, although the small number of specimens does not permit a firm conclusion.
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