Dolphin-merfolk relations in the Stregaverse tend to either be very friendly (lots of boning) or the exact opposite. More than one asshole dolphin has choked down a Mer, giggled and swum off to digest its meal. Animalistic Mer in turn sometimes eat dolphins, and there are even a few dolphin-Mer hybrids (resembling dolphintaurs) who are almost always predatory.

Being air breathers, dolphins can't just park their bloated butt someplace, they need to rise to the surface to breathe. That means they can't usually ball up big prey in their gut and instead leave it stretched out in their gullet, often with a bit hanging out. As the (in this case) humanoid upper part of their meal is digested the tail will be drawn inward by muscular action until the Mer's (or fellow dolphin's or whatnot) flukes fold and disappear.

Having big prey partially in your stomach but mostly in your throat is a recipe for heartburn, but the dolphin still gets the better end of the deal. 83