False Killer Whale Facts & Worksheets

Pseudorca crassidens is the scientific name for the false killer whale. Pseudorca is short for pseudo (or false) orca, and crassidens is Latin for thick toothed. The only living member of its genus is the false killer whale (although two more species are known from the fossil record). It is a member of the Delphinidae family, which includes oceanic dolphins and orcas.

See the fact file below for more information on the False Killer Whale or alternatively, you can download our 33-page False Killer Whale worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

APPEARANCE

• They are dark gray in color, except for a small section of the ventral (underside) surface. It is lighter in color between the pectoral fins that run from the throat to the belly.
• Males are slightly larger than females. They are large and slender. False killer whales have a small beakless conical head. The front of an adult male’s head hangs over the lower jaw more than that of a female. The front of an older male’s head is flat.
• A distinct central hump creates an S-shape along the outer edge of the pectoral fins or flippers. The dorsal fin is found in the center of the back and curves backward.
• Adult females can grow to be 16 feet long, while adult males can grow to be nearly 20 feet long. False killer whales reach adulthood weighing up to 3,000 pounds.

BEHAVIOR

• False killer whales are social creatures that can be found in all tropical and subtropical oceans, as well as deep offshore waters. 
• False killer whales stick together. They are frequently found in small subgroups of one to a few individuals. These are part of a larger aggregation that can span hundreds of kilometers. 
• These strong social bonds between groups, as well as their dispersion into small subgroups, are likely to aid them in their search for prey.
• False killer whales sharing their prey is unusual behavior. This prey-sharing between groups is likely to help them in their search for food and is thought to strengthen social bonds.

HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION

• False killer whales prefer tropical and subtropical waters with a depth offshore of over 3,300 feet.
• False killer whales can be found in tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters throughout the world’s ocean basins. 
• They can be found in the Pacific Remote Island Areas, the Mariana Archipelago, and American Samoa in the United States. 
• They can also be seen in the Gulf of Mexico and the warm Gulf Stream waters off the East Coast.
• False killer whales have been spotted off the coast of the United States. During warmer oceanographic seasons, the West Coast extends as far north as British Columbia, Canada.

REPRODUCTION AND LIFE

• Female false killer whales mature between the ages of 8 and 11, while males mature between the ages of 8 and 10. Lactation lasts 1.5 to 2 years, and gestation lasts 11 to 16 months. The interval between births is unknown, but it is thought to be around seven years. Between the ages of 44 and 55, female false killer whales enter menopause. Thus, becoming inactive in reproduction.
• There is evidence that false killer whales form stable family and social groups in the same was as killer whales and sperm whales.
• Males and females are thought to be able to reproduce between the ages of 8 and 14 years, and individuals can live for up to 60 years.
• Females who are no longer producing calves continue to play an important role in their families. Possibly, they are looking after the young of other females in the group, which is unusual for marine mammals.

FALSE KILLER WHALE VS KILLER WHALE

• It was first described as a porpoise species based on a skull in 1846, but this was later revised when the first carcasses were discovered in 1861. The name “false killer whale” comes from the fact that the orca (Orcinus orca), also known as the killer whale, has a similar skull.
• Pseudorca crassidens (false killer whale) is a large member of the Delphinidae family. The killer whale (Orcinus orca) also belongs to the Delphinidae family. They have the same characteristics as the rest of the dolphin family, which includes the well-known bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). This family also includes pilot whales (Globicephala). They are carnivorous toothed whales. The majority of the family eats fish and squid. Killer whales eat birds and other marine mammals, such as seals and baleen whales, in addition to fish.

NUTRITION NEEDED

• False killer whales are top predators that eat mostly fish and squid. They eat both day and night, hunt in dispersed subgroups, and converge when prey is caught. 
• These animals, like many dolphins, eat almost exclusively fish, squid, and, to a lesser extent, marine mammals such as seals and sea lions. They occasionally prey on other marine mammals. These include smaller dolphins and even humpback and sperm whales. 
• Yellowfin tuna, perch, salmon, and yellowtail are some of the most common fish prey. As it swims around at high speeds, the false killer whale will catch its prey in its mouth and attack it. It will then shake the prey to death and use its sharp teeth to peel off the skin.
• Though, scientists aren’t sure if they eat them or simply kill them to eliminate competition for food. 
• They eat larger fish than many other dolphin species, preferring tuna and mahimahi. False killer whales can consume up to 5% of their body weight each day.

THREATS

Fishery Interactions

• Interactions with fisheries are one of the most serious threats to this species. False killer whales are known to prey on fishing lines, causing hooking and/or entanglement, serious injury, and even death.
• Many of the same species that are targeted by fisheries are prey for false killer whales. This is especially true in Hawaii, where tuna, billfish, wahoo, and mahimahi are preferred fish for both false killer whales and consumers.

Contaminants in the Environment

• Because false killer whales are long-lived, upper-trophic-level predators, they accumulate a lot of toxins from the sea. 
• These are toxic chemicals in the marine environment, such as industrial chemicals and pesticides, and heavy metals. 
• These cause a variety of biological effects in marine mammals, including diseases and reproductive problems.

Small Population Size 

• The endangered main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale population faces a unique threat because of its small size. Reduced genetic diversity within a small, highly social population increases the risk of disease or other environmental changes, potentially making the population more vulnerable to diseases or other environmental changes.

Hunting 

• False killer whales are frequently viewed as a nuisance or competitor by fishermen, especially when they steal target fish from longlines, as they have been known to do in Japan, Hawaii, the Indian Ocean, and the Gulf of Mexico. In some fisheries, such as Japan, St. Vincent, and Taiwan, this has resulted in direct hunts or kills. Unintentional entanglement or injury in fishing gear is also a risk for this species.

Natural Predators

• Although a killer whale attack was observed in New Zealand, there is little evidence of predators capturing false killer whales. At least two false killer whales in Hawaii have scars from large shark bites, indicating that the species is occasionally targeted by large sharks.

CONSERVATION

• The main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale distinct population segment (DPS) is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act due to its small population size (less than 200 individuals) and population decline until at least the early 2000s. It is the only population of false killer whales protected by the ESA. The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) also lists this stock as depleted.
• False killer whales are protected and conserved by NOAA Fisheries. To study and protect this species, our scientists and partners employ a variety of innovative techniques.

False Killer Whale Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about the False Killer Whale across 33 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching about the False Killer Whale which is a member of the Delphinidae family that includes oceanic dolphins and orcas.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

• False Killer Whale Facts 
• You Look Whale
• Whale-Behaved
• Whale Can You See Me?
• The Hunt for Hints
• Skull Skill
• Whale Meal
• Treating the Threats
• True or False
• Weighing Whale
• A Thank You Letter

Frequently Asked Questions

Are False Killer Whales endangered?

In 2012 the NOAA Fisheries classified the False Killer Whale as an Endangered species.

Are False Killer Whales friendly?

Studies of False Killer Whales near Hawaii show they are social animals and have been known to come up to fisherman’s boats and even form cross-species relationships as they’ve been found swimming with bottlenose dolphins for years.

What are the differences between the Killer Whale and the False Killer Whale?

Other than being somewhat shaped similar enough that the first people who saw false killer whales thought they were orcas, these two giants are also the only cetaceans that feed on other marine animals. But that’s about where the similarities end. False killer whales are biologically more similar to dolphins than orcas. Orcas grow much larger with longer dorsal fins. False killer whales on the other hand have a distinctly curved hump on the flippers and a more rounded head. And the false killer whale has a black or dark gray coloration with a streak of white along the side instead of the black and white coloration of the orca. They also aren’t known to eat birds as Orcas do.

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

<a href="https://kidskonnect.com/animals/false-killer-whale/">False Killer Whale Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com</a> - KidsKonnect, July 14, 2022

Link will appear as False Killer Whale Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, July 14, 2022