SCIENTIFIC NAME: Feresa attenuata

DISCOVERED: Gray, 1875

COMMON NAME: Pygmy Killer Whale, Slender Blackfish, Slender Pilot Whale

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION:

Distribution poorly known
Tropical and subtropical offshore waters worldwide
Seen frequently in the eastern tropical Pacific, Hawaii, and Japan
No migrations known
Thought to occur year-round in Sri Lanka, in the Indian Ocean, and St. Vincent in the Caribbean

DESCRIPTION:

Robust body
Blue-black, dark gray, or brownish gray body
Dark gray or brownish cape on upper side
Sides paler than upper side
Large white patch on belly- deep groove splits it into 2 halves
Very rounded head
No beak
White "lips"
Sometimes have a white chin, as well
Tall dorsal fin- slightly pointed tip- wavy concave trailing edge
Rear half of body is not as robust as front half
Long flippers- rounded tips
Pale gray W shape on chest
Body may be scarred
Slight notch in middle of flukes- pointed tips at flukes

NATURAL HISTORY:

HABITAT:

Occurs in deep, warm waters, offshore

FOOD & FEEDING:

Only information available is that a captive animal accepted live sardines after rejecting squid, saurel and mackerel pike

LIFE CYCLE:

Maximum length= 2.87 m (males), 2.43 m (females)
Length at birth is between 0.53 and 0.82 m
No other information on life history available

BEHAVIOR:

May be difficult to approach
Generally elusive
Known to avoid boats
May also bow-ride and wake-ride
May be seen logging- especially on sunny days
Also spyhops, lobtails, and breaches- although usually not acrobatic
Lively swimmer- head comes out of the water when surfacing, and the animal leaps clear of the water when fleeing danger
Pods often swim together in coordinated "chorus lines" and bunch together to rush away when alarmed
May make growling sounds
Frequently strands
Group size of 15-25- several hundred may be seen together
Groups may herd and attack other small cetaceans in the eastern tropical Pacific

WORLD POPULATION:

No population estimates available
Not abundant in any particular region

HUMAN INFLUENCES:

No specific fisheries for pygmy killer whales
Sometimes taken in general small cetacean fisheries- Japan, the Lesser Antilles, Senegal, Peru and Indonesia
Few taken incidentally- in gillnets off Sri Lanka and in the eastern tropical Pacific tuna purse seine fishery
Used as meat for human consumption and some for oil and medicinal