The Not-Quite-Killer whalesFalse killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) & Pygmy killer whale (F

The Not-Quite-Killer whales
False killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) & Pygmy killer whale (Feresa attenuata)

So after the killer whale infographic, here’s a.. non-killer whale infographic (can anyone tell I’m into infographics??). Not much info on this one but I though it would be nice to show these together: two species named after the infamous Orcinus orca, without really being cut from the same stuff. It comes from the skulls mostly. All three species are short-snouted and large-teethed, and especially False killer whale skulls look very similar. Pygmy killer whales have this funny thing where the left jaw is bigger and often contains one more tooth than the right. They’ve also proven quite aggressive towards humans and other dolphins when put under stress, even being described as “growling like a wolf”, which might have contributed to the ‘killer’ name too.

Although these are called ‘blackfish’, closer inspection reveals animals that are anything but. Pygmy killer whales, like Melon-headed whales, bear a rather noticeable grey with a darker cape. They are surprisingly elegantly marked animals, something not many photos reveal. Sightings are relatively scarce - prior to 1954 the species was known from just two skulls(!!) - and they may be rare, or easily confused with others. False killer whales hide their markings better; harsh light makes them appear quite black indeed. But gently lit underwater scenes reveal they wear, in fact, quite familiar attire. Their markings are not unlike those of bottlenose dolphins, following a triparte palette. 

These two are again for the current commission. It was a joy to paint a False killer whale again (it had been a while and they are a big favourite), and the first time painting the Pygmy, which was lots of fun. I hope you’ll enjoy too.