Classification
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Cetacea
Family Delphinidae
Genus Orcinus
Species orca
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Cetacea
Family Delphinidae
Genus Orcinus
Species orca
Biology
It uses echolocation, which helps the whale tell what objects are around it. It also hunts in groups, which makes it easier to hunt.
The orca is also a very social animal. It uses it’s weight and force to capture it’s prey.
The orca is also a very social animal. It uses it’s weight and force to capture it’s prey.
Morphology
The killer whale has a unique morphology. It reaches sexual maturity at about the age of 15. The male whales are generally larger than the females. The largest recorded male killer whale is 9.0 m long while the female is only 7.7 m. Killer whales appear black with white spots on various points of the body. Whales are covered with a thick layer of blubber.
Facts
1.Killer whales are toothed whales and are the largest member of the dolphin family, Delphinidae.
2.The distinctive coloration of killer whales is a type of camouflage known as disruptive coloration in which the color pattern of an animal contradicts the animal's body shape. In the flickering, filtered sunlight of the sea, other animals may not recognize a killer whale as a potential predator.
3.Killer whales live in groups called pods. A pod may have less than 5 to about 30 individuals: a mix of males, females, and calves of varying ages. Sometimes, several smaller pods join together to form larger herds of 50 or more whales.
4.A female-dominant social hierarchy exists within a group of killer whales. The animals may rank and establish themselves within the hierarchy by behaviors such as tail-slapping, head-butting, jaw-snapping, biting, tooth-raking and various other postures and gestures.
5.Killer whales are apex or top predators in the ocean. Known as "wolves of the sea", killer whales often hunt cooperatively in pods for food; working together to encircle and herd prey into a small area before attacking. When hunting a large whale, a pod of killer whales may attack the whale from several angles. They may also slide out onto sandbars or ice floes in pursuit of prey and are capable of hitting ice floes from below to knock prey into the water.
2.The distinctive coloration of killer whales is a type of camouflage known as disruptive coloration in which the color pattern of an animal contradicts the animal's body shape. In the flickering, filtered sunlight of the sea, other animals may not recognize a killer whale as a potential predator.
3.Killer whales live in groups called pods. A pod may have less than 5 to about 30 individuals: a mix of males, females, and calves of varying ages. Sometimes, several smaller pods join together to form larger herds of 50 or more whales.
4.A female-dominant social hierarchy exists within a group of killer whales. The animals may rank and establish themselves within the hierarchy by behaviors such as tail-slapping, head-butting, jaw-snapping, biting, tooth-raking and various other postures and gestures.
5.Killer whales are apex or top predators in the ocean. Known as "wolves of the sea", killer whales often hunt cooperatively in pods for food; working together to encircle and herd prey into a small area before attacking. When hunting a large whale, a pod of killer whales may attack the whale from several angles. They may also slide out onto sandbars or ice floes in pursuit of prey and are capable of hitting ice floes from below to knock prey into the water.
Distribution map
Vocabulary
atrophy Definition: To waste away or wither.
dorsal fin Definition: The fin nearest to the back of a fish or mammal.
fjord Definition: A long, narrow inlet from the sea, bordered by steep cliff
immune system Definition: The body's essential defense mechanism--made up of white blood cells and antibodies--that fight off germs and disease.
pods Definition: The name for family groups of whales, usually numbering from five to 12 members.
dorsal fin Definition: The fin nearest to the back of a fish or mammal.
fjord Definition: A long, narrow inlet from the sea, bordered by steep cliff
immune system Definition: The body's essential defense mechanism--made up of white blood cells and antibodies--that fight off germs and disease.
pods Definition: The name for family groups of whales, usually numbering from five to 12 members.
Resource
http://w3.shorecrest.org/~Lisa_Peck/MarineBio/syllabus/ch9vertebrates/mammals/mammalwp/class_of_2005/wade2/classification.htmlhttp://w3.shorecrest.org/~Lisa_Peck/MarineBio/syllabus/ch9vertebrates/mammals/mammalwp/class_of_2005/wade2/morphology.htmlhttp://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/animal-bytes/animalia/eumetazoa/coelomates/deuterostomes/chordata/craniata/mammalia/cetacea/killer-whale.htm