Pygmy Killer Whale
The Pygmy Killer Whale is found in all warm waters around the world, including the Mediterranean Sea. It is not thought to migrate, and is also thought to occur year-round in some regions, such as off Sri Lanka and the Lesser Antilles.
Classification: The Pygmy Killer Whale, though very similar to other 'Blackfish', belongs in its own genus, and was named by John Gray of the British Museum. Between 1827 and 1875, he repeatedly studied two skulls of a then unknown species, and after evaluating and re-evaluating them several times, named them Feresa attenuata.
Local Names: Slender Blackfish; Slender Pilot Whale.
Description: The Pygmy Killer Whale is the smallest of all the 'Blackfish' and is similar in size to many dolphins. The dorsal fin is high and fairly pointed, with a slight curve. The forehalf of the body is robust, with the region after the midsection slimmer. The head is rounded, with the upper jaw extending beyond the lower; there are 8-11 pairs of teeth in the former and 11-13 pairs in the latter. This cetacean is dark grey, brownish-grey or blue-black in colour, with a dark stripe extending backwards from the top of the head and widening around the dorsal region to become a saddle patch. The lips and occasionally all of the lower jaw are white (sometimes with a 'goatee' chin patch), and a light grey area stretches from the throat to the vent area. It reaches a maximum of 2.6m in length and weighs no more than 225kg in weight.
Recognition at sea: The Pygmy Killer Whale, though similar to the Melon-Headed Whale, can usually be identified by the shape of the head and dorsal. At close quarters, the white 'goatee' chin patch and shape of the flippers are also unique.
Habitat: Pygmy Killer Whales tend to prefer subtropical and tropical waters, particularly those that are deep and in the open ocean. They are rarely found in warm temperate and enclosed waters.
Food & Feeding: Pygmy Killer Whales prey mainly upon squid and large fish (such as tuna and dolphinfish), but have been known to attack groups of small cetaceans.
Behaviour: The typical family unit contains a maximum of 50 individuals, but often numbers 25. Several hundred may be seen together. Acrobatic at the surface, leaping, spy hopping and tail slapping, this species will occasionally bowride. The Pygmy Killer Whale is an aggressive species, often eliciting fear from other small cetaceans, and if kept in captivity, will often kill all others in the tank.
Longevity: Unknown.
Estimated Current Population: Unknown, but considered rare.
The Influence of Man: A few Pygmy Killer Whales have been taken by Japanese fishermen and in other small local catches. Many are killed from entrapments in fishing gear every year, but the precise number is unknown. Between 300-800 are caught annually off Sri Lanka. One or two have been taken into captivity, but not for long due to their fierce temperament.
Source: CETACEA
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