killer whale

killer whale or grampus, a large, rapacious marine mammal, Orcinus orca, of the dolphin family. Male killer whales may reach a length of 30 ft (9 m) and females half that length. The killer whale is black above, with a sharply contrasting white oval patch around each eye; its belly is white with white markings projecting up along the animal's sides. It has a high, triangular dorsal fin midway between head and tail, and broad, paddle-shaped flippers. The killer whale is worldwide in distribution. It is a swift and ferocious animal, armed with more than four dozen sharp teeth, and is the only cetacean (see whale ) that feeds regularly on birds or mammals. Killer whales eat seals, sea birds, and fish, and in packs they will even attack larger whales. The female gives birth to a single calf, up to 7 ft (2.1 m) long, following a gestation period of approximately one year. Females mature in 6 to 7 years, males in 12. They are classified in the phylum Chordata , subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, order Cetacea, family Delphinidae.

killer whale Toothed marine mammal of the dolphin family that lives in all the world's oceans, especially colder regions. A fierce predator, it is black above and white below, with a white patch above each eye and a long, erect, dorsal fin. Length: 9m (30ft). Species: Orcinus orca.

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killer whale (Orcinus orca) See DELPHINIDAE.