Differences Between Dolphins & Mahimahi

Type

• Although both the dolphin and mahimahi live in the marine biome, they are not the same type of animal. The mahimahi is a fish of the Coryphaenidae family while the dolphin is a mammal and is a member of the Delphinidae family.

Size

• The length and weight of each animal is significantly different. The average length of the mahimahi is just over 3 ft., although they can grow to a maximum of about 6 ft. In comparison, the largest dolphin species is the killer whale (Orca), which can grow to 32 ft. Even smaller species of dolphin are longer than the mahimahi. The bottlenose dolphin is between 10 and 14 ft. long. In comparing their weight, the largest mahimahi weighs 40 kg. The killer whale can weight over 5,000 kg, while the bottlenose dolphin can weigh 500 kg.

Color

• The mahimahi is a brightly colored fish. An adult male will be shades of golden, metallic blues and greens, white and yellow. On the other hand, most dolphin species are found in hues of gray, white, black and grayish-blue.

Geographic Location

• The distribution of the mahimahi is limited to the tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. Different dolphin species live all over the world. For example, the killer whale lives in cold coastal waters, including the Arctic and Antarctic regions.

Protection

• The mahimahi not endangered or listed as threatened (as of 2011). Therefore, it is a popular choice of game fish. However, certain species of dolphin are listed as endangered. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources lists the South Asian river dolphin, Hector's dolphin and the baiji as endangered. Limited fishing is allowed on dolphins, as many are threatened by the nets used to catch other species, like tuna.