Melon-headed Whale

The melon-headed whale, also called the electra dolphin, is a toothed whale of the oceanic dolphin family, named for its head shape. It grows to 2.75 m and 225 kg, with adult males slightly larger. The body is charcoal to dark grey, with a dark cape that starts narrowly at the front of the head and dips steeply below the dorsal fin. Adult males have rounder heads, longer flippers, taller dorsal fins and broader flukes than females (Wikipedia, general species account).

It feeds at night, mainly on pelagic and mesopelagic squid and small fish that rise toward the surface after dusk. Groups of more than 100 are more likely to be melon-headed whales than pygmy killer whales. It is not known to migrate. Females bear a single calf every three to four years after about 12 months of gestation, and animals live up to 45 years. Small numbers have been caught in driftnet fisheries in India and elsewhere (Wikipedia, general species account).