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Melon-headed whale

Mammals

The melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra) is a toothed whale of the oceanic dolphin family Delphinidae, named for its rounded, tapering, beakless head. Adults reach up to 2.75 meters in length and about 225 kilograms, with newborns around 1 meter, a robust body, a dark facial mask and cape over a charcoal to dark gray body, and a tall, sickle shaped dorsal fin set near the middle of the back. It lives in deep tropical and subtropical waters roughly between 40 degrees north and 35 degrees south, with some populations associated with oceanic islands such as Hawaii and the Philippines, and feeds mainly at night on pelagic and mesopelagic squid and small fish, occasionally taking crustaceans. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Classification
Diet
Piscivore 1
System (Realm)
Marine 2
Relationship to People
Hunted or Fished 3
Living or Extinct
Yes 4
Comparison
NatureServe Rank
G4 Apparently Secure 5
CITES Appendix
Appendix II 3
Scientific Name
Peponocephala electra 4
Conservation Status
Least Concern 6
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Delphinidae, Taxa
Source Wikidata: Peponocephala

In Biome

Open Ocean, Biomes
Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web: Peponocephala electra
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014)
2. GBIF Species API
GBIF Species APIView the Source
3. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web: Peponocephala electra
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
  • Conservation Status: CITES
    CITES Appendix II
  • Economic Importance for Humans: Positive (hunted-fished)
    Once caught, melon-headed whales are used for bait or for consumption
  • In Biome: Open Ocean, Habitat Regions, biome: pelagic
    pelagic pelagic
View the Source
4. Wikidata: Peponocephala
Wikidata
  • Statements section, conservation status (P141)
    IUCN Red List conservation status (Wikidata property P141): least concern.
  • Wikidata Q724349 (P225 taxon name)
  • Child Taxon Of: Delphinidae, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
View the Source
5. NatureServe Explorer: Peponocephala electra
NatureServe ExplorerGlobal rank (roundedGRank)
Quote, Global rank (roundedGRank)
"roundedGRank": "G4"
View the Source
6. Wikipedia: Melon-headed whale
Infobox: status
Quote, Infobox: status
LC
View the Source
Melon-headed whale (Wikipedia)
Infobox: status2
Quote, Infobox: status2
CITES_A2
View the Source
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