Order: Cetacea
Suborder: Odontoceti
Superfamily: Delphinoidea
Family: Delphinidae
Subfamily: Globicephalinae
Genus & Species: Feresa attenuata
APPEARANCE
The pygmy killer whale, also known as the slender blackfish or the slender
pilot whale, closely resembles both the false killer and the melon-headed
whales. The head is rounded and the body is slender and small, with a
maximum length of 8.5 ft. The maximum weight is 495 lbs. The flipper tips
are rounded and the dorsal fin is large. The jaw is underslung and the beak
is indistinguishable from the head. The top jaw contains 8-11 pairs of teeth,
and the bottom jaw contains 11-13 pairs of teeth. The backbone contains
68-71 vertebrae, unlike the false killer whale, which has only 50.
The colouring is a dark black, blue-black, or grey-brown. The lips and often
the entire lower jaw are white, creating a sort of "goatee." The beak and
genital area is also often white. A dark stripe stretching from the top of the
head and widening at the dorsal region forms the dorsal cape. A light grey
patch extends from the throat to the vent area.
It is believed that pygmy killer whales can extrude their eyes from their
sockets so that they can look behind themselves.
HABITAT
Pygmy killer whales can be found in tropical and subtropical waters
worldwide. They prefer deep waters away from coast lines. They are found
in the Gulf of Mexico, the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean, the
Southeastern Atlantic Ocean, and near Sri Lanka and Lesser Antilles. They
are though to live year-round in at least the Gulf of Mexico.
FOOD
Pygmy killer whales feed upon cephalopods (squid) and large fish, such as
tuna. They are thought to kill and eat other dolphins as well.
Pygmy killer whales deserve the name "killer" much more than their
counterpart the killer whale. They are highly aggressive and cannot be
handled. One specimen was captured off Hawaii in 1963 and sent to Sea
Life Park. The day after its capture it tried to attack a man checking the
water input. Ten days later it was placed in the same tank as two pilot
whales. The youngest of the two was later found dead. The cause of death: a
sharp blow to the cranium by the head of the pygmy killer whale.
BREEDING
Very little is known about their breeding habits. The males and females
become sexually mature when they reach the length of 7 ft. The calves are
32 in long at birth.
ENEMIES
Pygmy killer whales are sometimes fished by Japanese fishermen. 300-800
are captured each year by Sri Lankans. Many others are killed worldwide
by becoming entangled in fishing nets or trapped in purse seines used to
trap tuna.
A NEW SPECIES
The pygmy killer whale was first made known to science after the discovery
of two skulls of a previously unknown species. John Gray of the British
Museum examined them from 1827-1875 and named them Feresa attenuata.
It wasn't until after 1950, however, that actual specimens were found. Today
they are rarely seen in the wild, and are mostly known by strandings and net
entanglements. They have been seen in pods ranging in size from 25-50.
They are rather acrobatic and will bow-ride with rough-toothed dolphins.
RELATIVES
The pygmy killer whale is a species of dolphin and is in the same subfamily
as the melon-headed whale, false killer whale, killer whale, long-finned pilot
whale and short-finned pilot whale.
RESOURCES
1. library.advanced.org/17963/subfamily-Globicephalinae.html#attenuata
2. hyperion.advanced.org12605/pygkill.htm
3. www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot/fereatte.htm
4. www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/1599/pkiller.htm
5. elfi.com/csipygmykiller.htm
6. www.upstarts.net.au/site/ideas/whales/whalesspecies/
pygmykillerwhale.html
7. www.gomr.mns.gov/homepg/regulate/environ/marmam/ pygmy.html
8. seahorse.ims.usm.edu/~musweb/feratten.htm
Back