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False Killer Whale
Pseudorca crassidens
-31.2723, -177.685
Field Notes
Description:
Large black, and slender member of the Globiocephalidae family (Orca, False Orca and Pilot Whales). Adults grow 4-5m long and weigh in between 1-2 tonnes. Males generally larger than females. Have 44 round, sharpened peg-like teeth. Fins are swept back with flippers having the appearance of an 'elbow' and a relatively small 'sickle' shaped dorsal.
Habitat:
Found throughout most tropical and temperate seas. This one individual was seen just off Raoul Island in the Kermadec group. Often seen in large pods of 20 plus animals, it will sometimes form Mega Pods of many hundreds.
Notes:
Not a well studied species, the best studies having been done with animals in Hawaii. Unfortunately showing a great decline in numbers there and now classed as endangered in the USA. World wide numbers have not been so well documented but reasonable to assume same patterns.
Ref: Wikipedia and other sources.
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