Which dolphin species has a white beak and a black body?

The dolphin species with a white beak and a black or dark body is the white-beaked dolphin. Its scientific name is Lagenorhynchus albirostris, with albirostris meaning “white-beaked.”

White-beaked dolphins are robust, short-beaked oceanic dolphins of the North Atlantic. Their upper bodies are generally dark gray, often with lighter patches, while their undersides are pale. The beak is usually white, although older individuals may have a darker gray beak, so the feature is distinctive but not absolutely uniform.

They are commonly confused with Atlantic white-sided dolphins, which can share similar cold-water habitats and markings. White-beaked dolphins are typically found farther north and lack the Atlantic white-sided dolphin’s characteristic yellowish side streaks. They also differ from bottlenose dolphins, which have longer, darker beaks and a different body shape.

The species was formally described in 1846 by British taxonomist John Edward Gray. It feeds mainly on fish such as cod, haddock and whiting, and is frequently seen bow-riding or traveling in social groups.