rareLC · Least Concernblackgreyvery-largeopen-water
- Group
- Marine mammal
- Habitat
- Open water
- Max size
- 2.8 m
- Family
- Delphinidae
The melon-headed whale, 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.
Adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Behaviour
Dark grey with a rounded, beakless head, travelling in large groups over deep water. From a distance it can be taken for a false killer whale, which is twice its length.