(NDTV) – Scientists are intrigued by a strange dolphin spotted in the Gulf of Corinth in Greece that has hook-shaped “thumbs” carved out of its flippers. The mammal was found roaming by researchers from the Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute on two occasions during boat surveys, reported Live Science. However, the unusual shape of its flippers had no effect on the dolphin’s speed as it kept pace with the rest of its pod and was seen “swimming, leaping, bow-riding, playing” with other mammals.
“It was the very first time we saw this surprising flipper morphology in 30 years of surveys in the open sea and also in studies while monitoring all the stranded dolphins along the coasts of Greece for 30 years,” Alexandros Frantzis, the scientific coordinator and president of the Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute, told Live Science.
He was the one who clicked pictures of the thumbed dolphin. Mr Frantzis’ team said there are 1,300 striped dolphins in the gulf, but only one with the unique shape of the flipper.
