The False killer whale

Pseudorca crassidens

General description

The False killer Whale, has a fusiform body and an elongated shell-shaped head, with no visible rostrum. Its sickle-shaped dorsal fin is located in the center of its back and is rounded. This cetacean has black pigmentation with lighter areas on the ventral side, particularly between the pectorals and in the urogenital area.

Habitat

Pelagic and cosmopolitan, the false killer whale is found in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions, across all oceans. Although pelagic, it can also come closer to the coasts.

Diet

Opportunistic, it mainly feeds on cephalopods and medium to large fish. It can also attack small cetaceans and juveniles.

Behavior

False killer whales are very social animals, forming strong groups of 20 to 100 individuals over the long term. They frequently cooperate, hunt in subgroups and share their catches. To hunt, they can dive up to 500 meters for 18 minutes.

Global distribution of the Pseudorchus, adapted from Würsig, B., Thewissen, J.G.M. and Kovacs, K.M. Editors (2018), Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals, 3rd ed. Academic Press, Elsevier: San Diego. THAT. Copyright Elsevier.

Family : Delphinidae

Height (m)

Weight (tons)

Lifespan (years)

Sexual Maturity

(years)

Gestation

(month)

5.50 - 6.00

4.6 - 5

> 60

8 - 14

4.60 - 5.00

1.1

> 60

8 - 14

14 - 16

Whalewatcher's Corner

Rare

Frequent

Observation :

Not to be confused with :

- Tropical pilot whale

- Melon-headed dolphin

- Pygmy killer whale

Main threats

Interactions with fisheries often result in serious injury or death due to entanglement on fishing lines. Competition with fisheries for common prey, such as bonito or dolphinfish, also intensifies feeding pressures. Additionally, as top predators, false killer whales accumulate environmental toxins, affecting their health and reproduction. Their small population increases their genetic and social vulnerability, while hunting in some regions of the world further accentuates these threats.