What Does Dolphin Skin Feel Like?

Dolphins are highly intelligent marine mammals that live in the ocean. Like all mammals they breathe air into their lungs, are warm-blooded, give birth to live young which they then nurse, and they have hair at some point in their lives. A dolphin's skin plays an important part in its survival in the ocean. If you have ever wondered what a dolphin's skin feels like, read on.

Theories/Speculation

Dolphins do have hair when they are first born. It is found on their rostrum, or snout. These whiskers are a quarter inch in length but they will fall out in a short period of time after the dolphin is born. This leaves the dolphin totally "bald," meaning that a dolphin's skin certainly does not feel like the vast majority of animals that are covered by hair. The spots where the hairs were located remain open for the life of the dolphin. Marine biologists theorize that these openings play some sort of part in the sensory detection of dolphins, perhaps allowing them to detect the currents in the water.

Size

The inner core of a dolphin is insulated by an extremely thick core of fat called blubber. The normal blubber layer on most dolphins is perhaps three quarters of an inch thick to an inch and a quarter. The dolphin possesses a skin that is 10 times thicker on the surface layer than any mammal that lives on land. The skin is comprised of three layers: an epidermis, or top layer; a middle layer known as the dermis; and the hypodermis, or bottom layer.

Time Frame

Every two to four hours the whole top layer of a dolphin's skin sloughs off, meaning the dead cells are quickly replaced by new ones. This rate is nine times faster than in humans. This keeps the dolphin streamlined and moist and free of anything on its outer skin that might inhibit its traveling through the water. This constant sloughing of skin leaves the dolphin very smooth, answering the question of what a dolphin's skin must feel like.

Function

A thorough examination of a dolphin's skin will reveal micro dermal ridges. These are minute ridges designed to trap water molecules on the surface of the animal's skin. They allow the dolphin to swim easily and quickly as liquid moves more rapidly and with much less resistance past another liquid. Some sailboats have been built with their bottoms inspired by the skin of the dolphin, with micro dermal ridges to add speed. Wet suits have been made this way as well. These ridges make the dolphin's skin incredibly smooth.

Expert Insight

The dolphin also has a skin that is very supple and limber. When the dolphin achieves a certain speed while swimming through the waves, the flow of the water changes from somewhat smooth to turbulent. This limber skin will actually ripple as the dolphin travels fast to offset this turbulence.