FALSE KILLER WHALE
(Pseudorca crassidens)Identification

Size
- to a maximum of 6 m
Colour
- black all over
Dorsal fin
- small, curved dorsal fin like that of a female killer whale
Blow
- low and bushy
Surface Behaviour
- may breach or porpoise
- may bowride on vessels
Group size / social behaviour
- extremely social, usually in large groups of 20 – 100 animals
Other characteristics
- has a distinctively shaped pectoral fin that bulges in the front
- has a rounded head or “melon”
Can be confused with
- killer whale (but is smaller and has no white patches)
- pilot whale (but is shaped more like a classic dolphin, and has no white patches
Notes
- false killer whales have been known to bowride on vessel wakes
- although they resemble killer whales, false killer whales are more closely related to Risso’s dolphins (see below) and pilot whales
- many stranded false killer whales have been found to have large quantities of plastic in their stomachs

