1. 5 Synonyms and Antonyms for Killer-whale | YourDictionary.com
Synonyms for KILLER-WHALE: orca, killer, grampus, sea-wolf, orcinus-orca.
2. What is the correct name? Orca or Killer Whale? | Ask an Expert
Orcinus orca is the Latin scientific name, while killer whale is its common name. ... whale killers, which sometime later was flipped to killer whales. Orcinus ...
The answer is both! Orcinus orca is the Latin scientific name, while killer whale is its common name. Scientists interchangeably use orca and killer whale. Our past relationship with orcas has not always been as favorable as today. Beginning with Orcinus—a god of the underworld—they've since been known as devilfish, assassin whale, wolves of the sea, and whale killers, which sometime later was flipped to killer whales. Orcinus orca was first used in 1758 by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus, who developed a system for classifying plants and animals that’s survived to the present day. Classification helps us understand relationships between organisms, and shared characteristics— and this is what places orcas in the dolphin family.
3. Orcas (Killer Whales), Orcinus orca - MarineBio Conservation Society
Orcas (formerly known as killer whales, blackfish, and murder pandas…), Orcinus orca (Linnaeus, 1758), are actually dolphins. And they are the largest of the ...
Orcas (formerly known as killer whales, blackfish, and murder pandas…), Orcinus orca (Linnaeus, 1758), are actually dolphins. And they are the largest of the dolphin family (Family Delphinidae ~ 32 species, including what we normally consider dolphins, pygmy killer whales, Feresa attenuata, and false killer whales, Pseudorca crassiddens). Orcas reach a maximum length of over 9 m and can weigh up to 7,257 kg. Because of their fierce reputation, orca are sometimes called the Ballena asesina (“assassin whale”) by the Spanish. They were referred to as “whale killers” by sailors who witnessed their attacks on larger cetaceans, and over time this name was changed to “killer whales.” They are called this not because they harm humans but because they do sometimes kill other whales, hunting them in packs thereby earning the title “Wolves of the Sea.”
4. Orcas: Facts about killer whales - Live Science
Oct 28, 2022 · Orcas (Orcinus orca) are often called killer whales, even though they almost never attack humans. In fact, the killer whale name was ...
Orcas, or killer whales, are deadly and beautiful apex predators that lurk in every ocean.
5. 22 Synonyms & Antonyms for ORCA - Thesaurus.com
A truly terrible toothed whale is the large porpoise called the killer (known to zoologists as orca gladiator). ... Cranial and dental characters generally like ...
Find 22 ways to say ORCA, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com, the world's most trusted free thesaurus.
6. Synonyms for killer whale - Thesaurus
Killer. Killerbees Gaming · Killers · Killers · Killers · Killers · Killers for Hire · Killers in Disguise · Killers Kiel Open · Killers of Dawn · Killers of ...
Killer whales synonyms, antonyms, and related words in the Free Thesaurus
7. Orcas (Killer whales) - National Geographic
Orcas ; Common Name: Orca (Killer Whale) ; Scientific Name: Orcinus orca ; Type: Mammals ; Diet: Carnivore ; Group Name: Pod.
Common Name: Orca (Killer Whale)
8. Why are orcas called killer whales? | CBC News
Jul 22, 2019 · How did killer whales get their name and should we call them orcas instead? Orca researcher Lance Barrett-Lennard explains. Do killer whales ...
They're the apex predators of the sea, but many feel the whales' long-used common name demonizes them.
9. Another word for KILLER WHALE > Synonyms & Antonyms
You also may see orcas, also known as killer whales, although they're more difficult to spot. 3. Noun Phrase The biggest dolphin species is the orca, otherwise ...
Similar words for Killer Whale. Definition: noun. ['ˈkɪlɝ'] someone who causes the death of a person or animal.
10. Killer Whale | NOAA Fisheries
The killer whale, also known as orca, is the ocean's top predator. It is the largest member of the Delphinidae family, or dolphins.
The killer whale is the largest member of the dolphin family. The population of Southern Resident killer whales in the Pacific Northwest is one of the most critically endangered marine mammals. Learn about our work to protect and conserve killer whales.
11. What is another word for "killer whale"? - WordHippo
What is another word for killer whale? Noun. A sea mammal related to dolphins and porpoises. orca · Orcinus orca · grampus. “While few have actually observed a ...
Synonyms for killer whale include orca, Orcinus orca and grampus. Find more similar words at wordhippo.com!
12. Killer whale | Definition & Facts | Britannica
Orca, or killer whale (Orcinus orca). See orcas in the waters off Shetland Islands ...
Killer whale, largest member of the dolphin family (Delphinidae). The killer whale is easy to identify by its size and its striking coloration: jet black on top and pure white below with a white patch behind each eye, another extending up each flank, and a variable ‘saddle patch’ just behind the dorsal fin.
FAQs
Another Name For Killer Whale? ›
Orcas (also known as killer whales) are marine mammals. They belong to the sub-order of toothed whales (known as odontocetes) but are also the largest member of the dolphin family.
What do Americans call killer whales? ›Since the 1960s, the use of "orca" instead of "killer whale" has steadily grown in common use. They are sometimes referred to as "blackfish", a name also used for other whale species. "Grampus" is a former name for the species, but is now seldom used.
What is another name for a false killer whale? ›The false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) is a species of oceanic dolphin that is the only extant representative of the genus Pseudorca.
What is the Latin name for killer whale? ›Orcinus orca is the Latin scientific name, while killer whale is its common name.
How did killer whales get their nickname? ›The name killer whale derives from their original name 'whale killers' given to them by sailors who saw them hunting whales. Over time, the name eventually switched around. The name 'orca' comes from their Latin species name Orcinus orca, where orcinus translates to mean 'Kingdom of the dead'.
Are killer whales called Shamu? ›The name Shamu can be used for both male, or female, killer whales, and actually means 'friend of Namu' or She-Namu. The first female orca to be captured was given the name Shamu, and it was intended that she should be a companion to a male orca called Namu, who lived at a Seattle Aquarium.
What does orca mean in Native American? ›The Native Orca Symbol or Killer Whale symbolizes family, romance, longevity, harmony, travel, community and protection. He is said to protect those who travel away from home, and to lead them back when the time comes.
What are killer whales called killer? ›Killer whales gained their common name because some types prey on other whales. They were once called "whale killers" by sailors who witnessed their attacks on larger cetaceans. Over time, the name was gradually switched to "killer whale".
What is the name of the famous killer whale? ›Tilikum ( c. December 1981 – January 6, 2017), nicknamed Tilly, was a captive male orca who spent most of his life at SeaWorld Orlando in Florida. He was captured in Iceland in 1983; about a year later, he was transferred to Sealand of the Pacific in Victoria, British Columbia.
Are baby killer whales called? ›A baby orca is called a calf, and they are about 8.5 feet long and 265 to 353 lbs. at birth.
What did the Romans call killer whales? ›
So yes, “Orcinus” roughly means “from hell.” “Orca” on the other hand does not mean “demon.” It translates to the much more mundane “large-bellied pot or jar.” This was likely in reference to the body shape of the Killer Whale and some documents suggest that ancient romans eventually used the term “Orca” to refer to ...
What is the name of the devil whale? ›The Devil Whale name was used to describe the California gray whale by Japanese whalers. In 1908, a Japanese whaler related stories about hunting gray whales, which he referred to as "Kukekua Kugira" (Devil Whale) due to the difficulty and danger in hunting it.
What's the name of the killer whale at Seaworld? ›The killer whale that drowned three people inspired a movement to end captivity. He died in Orlando on Friday.
Why is it called a sperm whale? ›They are named after the waxy substance—spermaceti—found in their heads. The spermaceti is an oil sac that helps the whales focus sound. Spermaceti was used in oil lamps, lubricants, and candles.
What does Orcinus mean? ›Orcinus means "of the kingdom of the dead", or "belonging to Orcus". This comes from Latin orca used by Ancient Romans for these animals, possibly borrowing Ancient Greek ὄρυξ (óryx) which referred (among other things) to a whale species, perhaps a narwhal.