The melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra), 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.

2025年1月14日 · Melon-headed whales are robust small whales found primarily in deep, tropical waters worldwide. They are social animals and often occur in groups of hundreds to over 1,000 individuals. Learn more about the melon-headed whale.

Melon-headed whales have a robust, dolphin-like body, a tapering, conical head (head shape triangular when viewed from above) with no discernible beak, and a relatively tall, falcate (sickle-shaped) dorsal fin located near the middle of the back. Body …

Perfectly adapted to zipping through the water, melon-headed whales have slim, torpedo-shaped bodies and conical heads. With the absence of a beak, their faces are softly rounded and are decorated with white markings on their lips and dark ‘masks’ around the eyes – …

2023年1月25日 · Don’t let the name fool you – melon-headed whales (Peponocephala eleectra) are actually part of the dolphin or toothed whale family. They are aptly named for their small heads with large melons, oil-filled foreheads that allow them to echolocate or see with sound.

Melon-headed whales are mostly dark grey, with a faint, darker gray cape that narrows at the head on the dorsal side. Often, they have a distinct dark eye patch that widens as it extends from the eye toward the melon.

2023年9月11日 · Species accounts of Melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra) in Texas. This includes a physical description, geographic distribution, a list of subspecies, habitats, population status and conservation status of the species.

Melon-headed whales occur mostly in deep warm waters (>1,000 m in depth), seaward of the edge of continental shelves. They take small fish, larger ommastrephid squid (e.g.Dasidicus gigas), and shrimps. Not well known. They are highly social, and groups observed are often very large, with 100-1,000 individuals.

Melon-headed whales, Peponocephala electra, are found in tropical and subtropical waters worldwide, most commonly in the Philippine Sea. They favor warm, pelagic waters. Melon-headed whales travel in pods of 100-1,000, although even larger pods have also been reported.

It is a close relative of the pygmy killer whale (Feresa attenuata) and the Pilot whales (Genus Globicephala), a fact that is evident just by looking at its physical appearance. It is also known as the melon whale, electra dolphin, and many-toothed blackfish.