Common dolphins inhabit tropical to warm waters, generally preferring surface temperatures greater than 10°C. They are found mostly in relatively deep offshore waters, but some live in shallow coastal waters. They are found in the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranean, the Black Sea, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, Sea of Japan, the South China Sea and the Gulf of California. In the Atlantic, they occur from Newfoundland to Argentina and from Norway to South Africa.