Killer Whales
Order & Genus. The scientific order of all types of whales is Cetacea. This large order is broken down into three further groups as well: the toothed whales or Odontoceti, which includes killer whales, dolphins, porpoises, beluga whales, and sperm whales, the baleen whales or Mysticeti, which include blue whales, humpback whales, gray whales, and right whales, and the Archaeoceti order, which are all now extinct. The genus of these species is Orcinus orca.Family. The killer whale is the largest in its family of delphinid. Bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins, and Pacific white-sided dolphins are included in this group as well. The scientific name for this family is Delphinidae.Fossil Record. Modern forms of both odontocetes and mysticetes can be seen in the fossil record of five to seven million years ago. Scientists believe that early whales arose about fifty-five to sixty-five million years ago from, now extinct, ancient land mammals that happened to venture back into the sea.Distribution. Killer whales can be found in all oceans of the world. They are the most numerous in the Arctic Ocean and the Antarctic. However, their distribution is limi
The teeth are conical and interlocking and are designed for grasping and tearing, rather than chewing. ; The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Whales and Dolphins; New York: Portland House, 1990Perrin, W. The resident pods can vary from as few as five to as many as fifty whales. It is usually in a closed, relax position and can be opened when the killer whale contracts the muscular flap. Living in a pod creates a strong social bond between the individuals. ) Most sound reception, or hearing, probably takes places through the lower jaw. This tearlike film also protects the eyes from infective organisms. Adult killer whales eat approximately 3% to 4% of their body weight in food per day and fully weaned calves can eat up to 10% of their body weight per day. The main living environment for killer whales is open oceans but they can also be found in coastal waters as well. Killer whales generally dive to depths of about 100 to 200 feet. Under these conditions, sight is of little use and communication becomes much more important.
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