Abstract: On February 2，2015, a dead female Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) was found in the coastal water of Meilian Village, Yacheng Town, Sanya City, Hainan Province, China. It was the first Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin death case ever found in waters southwest of Hainan Island. In the present study, data about external morphology and skeleton system of the dead dolphin were documented, Body length and body mass of the animal were 235.0 cm and ca. 150 kg, respectively, with completely white body color. The cranium of this dolphin wa 189 mm in zygomatic width, and 415 mm in skull length. Its vertebra formula was C6+T12+L10+Ca20=48. It had 12 pairs of ribs and 11 V-bones. According to previous reports, our skeleton sample may have one cervical vertebra missing, and one or more caudal vertebras and V bones missing. More new skeleton samples from the same population are needed to confirm this presumption.

Key words: Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin（Sousa chinensis）, Sanya, Skeleton, External morphology

关键词: 中华白海豚, 三亚, 骨骼, 外形