File:Peponocephala_electra_Mayotte.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
melon-headed whale
Sign in to saveAlso known as Peponocephala electra, electra dolphin, little killer whale, many-toothed blackfish
species of mammal
Species
Least Concernblackfish
Species
- PhylumChordata
- ClassMammalia
- OrderCetartiodactyla
- FamilyDelphinidae
Maximum longevity: 47 years (wild)
via IUCN
~20 min read
Encyclopedic overview
The melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra), also known less commonly as the electra dolphin, little killer whale, or many-toothed blackfish, is a toothed whale of the oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae). The common name is derived from the head shape. Melon-headed whales are widely distributed throughout deep tropical and subtropical waters worldwide, but they are rarely encountered at sea. They are found near shore mostly around oceanic islands, such as Hawaii, French Polynesia, and the Philippines.
Taxonomy
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “melon-headed whale” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.