General Description
Dark grey to black body with paler areas on the chest and head. Rounded head and very short snout. Up to 6.1 m long.
Biology
False Killer Whales are social and live in small to medium pods (typically 10-30 individuals). They will actively swim in the wakes and bow waves of ships. This is the most common cetacean species involved in mass strandings.
Distribution
Worldwide. Most Australian waters. Potentially near Port Phillip, recorded from Victoria.
Habitat
Tropical and temperate waters.
More Information
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Animal Type
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Animal SubType
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Brief Id
Grey, long slender body, dorsal fin.
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Maximum Size
6.1 m
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Habitats
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Diet
Carnivore
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Endemicity
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Commercial
No
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Conservation Statuses
CITES: Trade restrictions (Appendix II), DSE Advisory List: Not listed, EPBC Act 1999: Not listed, IUCN Red List: Data Deficient
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Depths
Shore (0-1 m), Shallow (1-30 m), Deep ( > 30 m)
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Water Column Locations
Surface, Midwater
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Taxon Name
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Common Name
False Killer Whale
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Kingdom
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Phylum
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Subphylum
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Class
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Order
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Suborder
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Family
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Genus
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Species Name
crassidens
