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The orca (Orcinus orca), or killer whale, is a toothed whale and the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family. It is the only extant species in the genus Orcinus and is recognizable by its black-and-white patterned body. A cosmopolitan species, it is found in diverse marine environments, from Arctic to Antarctic regions to tropical seas.
Orcas or killer whales have a cosmopolitan distribution and several distinct populations or types have been documented or suggested. Three to five types of orcas may be distinct enough to be considered different races , [ 1 ] subspecies , or possibly even species [ 2 ] (see species problem ).
The genus Orcinus was published by Leopold Fitzinger in 1860, [4] its type species is the orca named by Linnaeus in 1758 as Delphinus orca.Taxonomic arrangements of delphinids published by workers before and after Fitzinger, such as John Edward Gray as Orca in 1846 and Orca (Gladiator) in 1870, are recognized as synonyms of Orcinus.
A killer whale was spotted balancing a salmon on its head. It’s not clear what the behavior means, but orcas were observed doing the same thing in the 1980s.
The pygmy killer whale (Feresa attenuata) is a poorly known and rarely seen oceanic dolphin. [3] It is the only species in the genus Feresa.It derives its common name from sharing some physical characteristics with the orca, also known as the killer whale.
Orcas, or “killer whales,” can grow up to 27 feet long and weigh as much as six tons. Known as the ocean’s top predator, they’re extremely intelligent, with their own languages of clicks ...
The fact that the sons stay with their mothers for life and are their closest associates is exceptional. [25] The males in the smallest social unit, the matriline, are all descendants of the matriarch. [14] In the case of resident killer whales, association has only indicated maternal relatedness.
The killer whale pod in Mexico hunts and attacks much larger whale sharks by targeting them from below, a study finds Killer Whales Are Hunting Whale Sharks — the Largest Fish in the World, New ...