I would like to announce that a PDF copy of my doctoral dissertation on social play as a tool for developing social-cognitive skills in a population of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) is now available. If you would like a copy please feel free to contact me, Courtney Bender, at courtbender@yahoo.com or Denise Herzing at the Wild Dolphin Project, wdpdenise@wilddolphinproject.org. Thank you! Courtney E. Bender Bender, C. E. 2012. Social play as a tool for developing social-cognitive skills in a population of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) Doctoral Dissertation. Integrative Biology, Florida Atlantic University. 143pp. The purposes of this dissertation were to identify complex social-cognitive behaviors in a population of wild Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) using long-term video archives and identify developmental trends in those behaviors. Chapter One analyzed calf behavior during foraging events involving maternal teaching in order to identify mechanisms for sharing information between mother and calf. There was no significant difference between behaviors attending to mother and prey, and calves were observed attending to both within the same event with triadic referencing between mother and prey. The calves were observed performing referencing gestures in the direction of the prey within the first year of life. When the mothers performed referencing gestures, calves interacted with significantly more behaviors, including significantly more referencing gestures themselves. The calves’ behavior was affected by the referencing cues, supporting the presence of joint attention and true teaching behavior. Chapter Two observed the altered benthic foraging behavior of juvenile play groups, in which individual juveniles took turns chasing the fish and using referencing gestures to reference the position of the fish to other individuals during the chase, despite the ability of these young, independent dolphins to catch fish much more quickly and efficiently alone. Benthic foraging behavior by juvenile-only groups appeared more like cooperative play and was significantly different from the typical benthic foraging behavior of individual juveniles foraging alone, groups of adults foraging together, or juveniles foraging with adults. The third chapter analyzed social object play in which dolphins passed pieces of seaweed between individuals. The data clarified developmental trends in the play, and suggested social-cognitive abilities needed for participation. Play became more complex with age as adult dolphins showed significantly more participating play behaviors and parts of the body used during play, and significantly longer time in possession of the seaweed than calves. Additionally, the dolphins appeared to use a signal to request the dolphin in possession of the seaweed to pass it. Individuals that used the signal received significantly more passes. Furthermore, every individual that was in possession of the seaweed when signaled by another subsequently released the seaweed.