The false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens ) is a species of oceanic dolphin that is the only extant representative of the genus Pseudorca. It is found in oceans worldwide but mainly frequents tropical regions. It was first described in 1846 as a species of porpoise based on a skull, which was revised when the first carcasses were observed in 1861. The name "false killer whale" comes from the similar skull characteristics to the orca (Orcinus orca ), which has been known as the killer whale.
The false killer whale reaches a maximum length of 6 m (20 ft), though size can vary around the world. It is highly sociable, known to form pods of up to 50 members, and can also form pods with other dolphin species, such as the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus ). Further, it can form close bonds with other species, as well as partake in sexual (including both heterosexual and homosexual) interactions with them. Conversely, the false killer whale has also been known to feed on other dolphins, though it typically eats squid and fish. It is a deep-diving dolphin, with a maximum recorded depth of 927.5 m (3,043 ft); its maximum speed is around 29 km/h (18 mph).
Several aquariums around the world keep one or more false killers, although the species' aggression towards other dolphins makes it less desirable. It is threatened by fishing operations, as it can become entangled in fishing gear. It is drive hunted in some Japanese villages. The false killer whale has a tendency to mass strand given its highly social nature, with the largest stranding consisting of 805 beached at Mar del Plata, Argentina. Most of what is known of this species comes from examining stranded individuals.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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MolluscivoreA molluscivore is a carnivorous animal that specializes in feeding on molluscs such as gastropods, bivalves, brachiopods, and cephalopods. Known mo...
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PiscivoresA piscivore is a carnivorous animal that eats primarily fish. Piscivorous is equivalent to the Greek-derived word ichthyophagous. Fish were the die...
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AquaticAn aquatic animal is an animal, either vertebrate or invertebrate, which lives in water for most or all of its life. It may breathe air or extract ...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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CosmopolitanAnimals with cosmopolitan distribution are those whose range extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. Another aspect of cos...
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NatatorialNatatorial animals are those adapted for swimming. Some fish use their pectoral fins as the primary means of locomotion, sometimes termed labriform...
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NomadicNomadic animals regularly move to and from the same areas within a well-defined range. Most animals travel in groups in search of better territorie...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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PolygynandryPolygynandry is a mating system in which both males and females have multiple mating partners during a breeding season.
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Highly socialHighly social animals are those which are highly interactive with other members of their species. They live in large groups, nest in colonies, and ...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe species is so called due to having similarities with the orca of killer whale. Thus, the False killer whale has similar shape, number of teeth as well as skull shape and size as the killer whale. The False killer whale is actually not a whale but a dolphin. The animals have a whitish marking on their chest between the flippers. In addition, some individuals exhibit pale grey patches on their heads. In general, however, the coloration of their body is nearly entirely grey to black.
False killer whale occurs in tropical and sub-tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Usually the animal inhabits the open ocean, but it can occasionally be observed around oceanic islands like Hawaii. In addition, the False killer whale has been seen in semi-enclosed areas such as the Mediterranean.
These animals normally gather into pods, which can be very small (including just a few whales) and rather large (containing hundreds of individuals). These large pods of False killer whales consist of smaller groups of 18 individuals on average. The False killer whales are highly social animals, just like Pilot whales. These playful animals are identified due to being one of a few large mammals that tend to leap out of the water over the wake of a ship. They favor riding bow waves of various vessels, preferring faster-moving ships. False killer whales use a wide variety of clicks and whistles as a form of communication. They also use echolocation, interacting through sounds, which help them detect prey and sense the ocean waters. They generally hunt by day and night.
The diet of this carnivorous (piscivorous and molluscivorous) animal considerably depends on the area of habitat, usually consisting of squid as well as various species of pelagic fish, tuna, wahoo and mahi mahi. The False killer whale is also known to consume smaller dolphins, and can prey on humpback and sperm whales on occasion.
The species is known to have polygynandrous (promiscuous) mating system, where both males and females mate with multiple mates. The False killer whales mate throughout the year with peak periods, occurring from January to December and in March. Gestation periods range from 11 to 16 months. Females give birth to a single calf, after which they do not breed for about 6.9 years on average. Soon after birth, the baby is able to swim. The young is weaned gradually during the period of 18 - 24 months. Even after weaning, calves often remain in the same group with their mother. Males of this species are sexually mature by 8 - 10 years old, whereas females reach maturity within 8 - 11 years old.
Currently, the False killer whale suffers from sharp global decline in the number and size of prey species it consumes. On the other hand, the species is threatened by persistent organic pollutants, which, accumulating in high levels, may expose the animal to the risk of disease susceptibility. In addition, fisheries are another serious threats to these animals: along with being caught on hooks and drownes, False killer whales occasionally take bait or catches from longlines, causing retaliatory culling. Other notable concerns to the False killer whale population include loud sounds of navy sonar and seismic exploration as well as other human-made sound, which can be very harmful to these animals.
According to the IUCN Red List, the global population size of the False killer whale is unknown. However, there are estimates of its population is specific areas: in the coastal waters of China and Japan - 16,000 whales; in the northern Gulf of Mexico - 1,038 whales; in the U.S. (Hawaii) - 268 whales; in the eastern tropical Pacific - 39,800 whales. Currently, False killer whales are classified as Data Deficient (DD) on the IUCN Red List.
