- Dwarf killer whale
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Dwarf killer whale Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Subclass: Elasmobranchii Order: Cetacea Family: Delphinidae Genus: Orcinus Species: orca Binomial name Orcinus orca The Dwarf Killer Whale is a type of Orca found in Antarctic waters believed by some scientists to be a distinct species from the larger Orca found throughout the world's oceans. Primarily eating fish rather than mammals, this ecotype averages less than 6 metres in length.
Robert L. Pitman describes using aerial photogrammetry to determine the size of numerous Type C killer whales, supporting earlier Soviet research which suggested that one or possibly two distinct species of orca exist in the southern ocean.[1][2]
References
- ^ Pitman, Robert L. et al. A Dwarf Form of Killer Whale in Antarctica Journal of Mammalogy 88(1):43-48, 2007, CryptoMundo.com
- ^ Pitman, Robert L. and Ensor, Paul. "Three forms of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Antarctic waters" Journal of Cetacean Resource Management 5(2):131–139, 2003
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