Is a killer whale a whale or a dolphin?

An orca is a marine mammal. They are often confused for being a whale because of their name 'killer whale', but did you know that orcas are actually dolphins? In fact, they are the largest member of the dolphin family! read more

In fact, they are the largest member of the dolphin family! Dolphins and whales are closely related – both are in the order Cetacea, which includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. read more

Orcas are dolphins they are called killer whales because of their size and how they kill. They kill use mostly their weight and the strength of their jaws. An orca, or killer whale, is in the family Delphinidae, making it a dolphin by classification. read more

Killer whale. The killer whale or orca (Orcinus orca) is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. Killer whales have a diverse diet, although individual populations often specialize in particular types of prey. read more

However, all dolphins are in the order Cetacea, making all dolphins to be whales. Dolphins (and thus orcas) a family in the sub-order of toothed whales, which belongs to the order of whales. So an orca is both a dolphin and a whale, albeit "dolphin" is a more specific classification. The Orca is actually categorized as a dolphin. read more

Orcas were given the name ‘killer whale’ by ancient sailors’ observations of groups of orcas hunting and preying on larger whale species. They called orcas asesina ballenas, or ‘whale killer’ – a term that was eventually flipped around to the easier ‘killer whale’. Their Latin name, Orcinus orca, also reflects this observation of orcas feeding on large whales. read more

The killer whale or orca (Orcinus orca) is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. Killer whales have a diverse diet, although individual populations often specialize in particular types of prey. read more