Spectacled
porpoises are so-called because they have distinct black
eye patches surrounded by white circles that look a
little like glasses. A clear line separates the two
colours of the body; the upper part is blue-black and
the underside is bright white. They have black lips
with one or two stripes going diagonally down towards
the flippers which are small, rounded at the tips and
near the head. The dorsal fin is large and rounded on
male spectacled porpoises, but is smaller and more triangular
on females. Their flukes are small with a notch in the
middle. Like all porpoises, their teeth are 'spade shaped'
- whereas dolphins' teeth are conical in shape. On their
upper jaw they have 36 to 46 teeth, and on their lower
jaw they have 32 to 40. They are one of the largest
members of the porpoise family.
