Long-finned pilot whale

Long-finned pilot whale
Size compared to an average human
CITES Appendix II (CITES)
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Suborder: Whippomorpha
Infraorder: Cetacea
Family: Delphinidae
Genus: Globicephala
Species:
G. melas
Binomial name
Globicephala melas
(Traill, 1809)
Subspecies

Globicephala melas melas
Globicephala melas edwardii

  Range of the long-finned pilot whale
Synonyms
  • Globicephala melaena
  • Globicephalus melas
  • Globicephalus melaenus
  • Globicephala intermedius (Harlan, 1827)

The long-finned pilot whale, or pothead whale (Globicephala melas) is a large species of oceanic dolphin. It shares the genus Globicephala with the short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus). Long-finned pilot whales are known as such because of their unusually long pectoral fins.