Pilot whales are cetaceans belonging to the genus
Globicephala. There are two extant species, the long-finned pilot whale (
G. melas) and the short-finned pilot whale (
G. macrorhynchus).
The two are not readily distinguished at sea and analysis of the skulls
is the best way to tell the difference between them. Between the two
species, pilot whales range in waters nearly worldwide with long-finned
pilot whales living in cold waters and short-finned pilot whales living
in tropical and subtropical waters. Pilot whales are among the largest
of the oceanic dolphins, exceeded in size only by the killer whale. They and other large members of the dolphin family are also known as
blackfish.
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