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WoRMS taxon details

Orcinus orca (Linnaeus, 1758)

Orcinus orca
Orcinus orca

137102  (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:137102)

  1. Biota
  2. Animalia (Kingdom)
  3. Chordata (Phylum)
  4. Vertebrata (Subphylum)
  5. Gnathostomata (Infraphylum)
  6. Tetrapoda (Megaclass)
  7. Mammalia (Class)
  8. Theria (Subclass)
  9. Cetartiodactyla (Order)
  10. Cetancodonta (Suborder)
  11. Cetacea (Infraorder)
  12. Odontoceti (Superfamily)
  13. Delphinidae (Family)
  14. Orcinus (Genus)
  15. Orcinus orca (Species)
accepted
Species
Delphinus duhameli Lacépède, 1804 · unaccepted (synonym)
Delphinus gladiator Bonnaterre, 1789 · unaccepted (synonym)
Delphinus grampus Blainville, 1817 · unaccepted (synonym)
Delphinus orca Linnaeus, 1758 · unaccepted (basionym)
Delphinus orca ensidoratus Kerr, 1792 · unaccepted (synonym)
Delphinus serra Borowski, 1780 · unaccepted (synonym)
Delphinus victorini Grill, 1858 · unaccepted (synonym)
Grampus rectipinna Scheffer, 1942 · unaccepted (synonym)
Grampus vectipinna Branson, 1971 · unaccepted (misspelling of rectipinna)
Ophysia pacifica Gray, 1870 · unaccepted (synonym)
Orca africana Gray, 1871 · unaccepted (synonym)
Orca antarctica Fischer, 1876 · unaccepted (synonym)
Orca ater Cope, 1869 · unaccepted (synonym)
Orca ater fusca Dall, 1874 · unaccepted (synonym)
Orca atra Gray, 1871 · unaccepted (misspelling)
Orca capensis Gray, 1846 · unaccepted (synonym)
Orca eschrichtii Reinhardt, 1866 · unaccepted (synonym)
Orca latirostris Gray, 1870 · unaccepted (synonym)
Orca megellanica Burmeister, 1866 · unaccepted (synonym)
Orca minor Malm, 1871 · unaccepted (synonym)
Orca orca Lahille, 1914 · unaccepted (synonym)
Orca orca megallanicus · unaccepted (synonym)
Orca pacifica Gray, 1870 · unaccepted (synonym)
Orca rectipinna Cope, 1869 · unaccepted (synonym)
Orca schlegelii Lilljeborg, 1866 · unaccepted (synonym)
Orca stenorhyncha Gray, 1870 · unaccepted (synonym)
Orca tasmanica Gray, 1871 · unaccepted (synonym)
Physeter microps Fabricius, 1780 · unaccepted (synonym)

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marine, terrestrial
(of Delphinus orca Linnaeus, 1758) Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 77 [details] Available for editors  PDF available [request]
Note "Oceano Europaeo"  
From editor or global species database
Type locality "Oceano Europaeo" [details]
Distribution cosmopolitan  
Distribution cosmopolitan [details]

Distribution Antarctica/Southern Ocean; East Pacific; Eastern Atlantic Ocean; Indo-West Pacific; Western Atlantic Ocean  
Distribution Antarctica/Southern Ocean; East Pacific; Eastern Atlantic Ocean; Indo-West Pacific; Western Atlantic Ocean [details]
Fordyce, E.; Perrin, W.F. (2025). World Cetacea Database. Orcinus orca (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=137102 on 2025-07-18
Date
action
by
2004-12-21 15:54:05Z
created
van der Land, Jacob
2008-08-20 11:25:36Z
checked
Perrin, William

Creative Commons License The webpage text is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License


Nomenclature

original description (of Delphinus orca Linnaeus, 1758) Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 77 [details] Available for editors  PDF available [request]

basis of record van der Land, J. (2001). Tetrapoda, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 375-376 (look up in IMIS) [details] 

Ecology

ecology source Looby, A.; Erbe, C.; Bravo, S.; Cox, K.; Davies, H. L.; Di Iorio, L.; Jézéquel, Y.; Juanes, F.; Martin, C. W.; Mooney, T. A.; Radford, C.; Reynolds, L. K.; Rice, A. N.; Riera, A.; Rountree, R.; Spriel, B.; Stanley, J.; Vela, S.; Parsons, M. J. G. (2023). Global inventory of species categorized by known underwater sonifery. <em>Scientific Data.</em> 10(1). (look up in IMIS), available online at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02745-4 [details] OpenAccess publication

Other

context source (Deepsea) Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. The Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS), available online at http://www.iobis.org/ [details] 

context source (PeRMS) Reyes, J. (2009). Ballenas, delfines y otros cetáceos del Perú. Una fuente de información. <em>Lima- Perú. Squema-Ediciones.</em> 160 pp. [details] 

additional source Carwardine, M., E. Hoyt, R. E. Fordyce and P. Gill. 1998. Whales, dolphins and porpoises. Time-Life Books. Nature Company Guides, USA. 288 p. [details] 

additional source Animal Diversity Web. <em>University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.</em> , available online at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/index.html [details] 

additional source Mead, J. G.; Brownell, R. L. Jr. (2005). Cetacea. <em>In Wilson, D.E. & D.M. Reeder (eds). Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed), Johns Hopkins University Press, 2,142 pp.</em> 723--743., available online at http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/ [details] 

additional source Rice, D. W. (1998). Marine mammals of the world. Systematics and distribution. <em>Society for Marine Mammalogy Special Publication.</em> 4., available online at http://www.marinemammalscience.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/MarineMammalsOfTheWorld.pdf [details] 

additional source Hershkovitz, P. (1966). Catalog of Living Whales. <em>Bulletin of the United States National Museum.</em> (246): 1-259., available online at https://doi.org/10.5479/si.03629236.246 [details] 

additional source Jefferson, T. A., M. A. Webber and R. L. Pitman. (2008). Marine mammals of the world. Academic Press, Amsterdam. [details] 

additional source IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, available online at http://www.iucnredlist.org [details] 

additional source Perrin, W.F.; Würsig, B.; Thewissen, J.G.M. (2009). Encyclopedia of marine mammals. Second edition. Academic Press: London. ISBN 978-0-12-373553-9. xxix, 1316 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details] 

additional source Heyning, J. E. and M. E. Dahlheim. (1988). Orcinus orca. Mammalian Species 304:1--9. [details] Available for editors  PDF available [request]

additional source King, C.M.; Roberts, C.D.; Bell, B.D.; Fordyce, R.E.; Nicoll, R.S.; Worthy, T.H.; Paulin, C.D.; Hitchmough, R.A.; Keyes, I.W.; Baker, A.N.; Stewart, A.L.; Hiller, N.; McDowall, R.M.; Holdaway, R.N.; McPhee, R.P.; Schwarzhans, W.W.; Tennyson, A.J.D.; Rust, S.; Macadie, I. (2009). Phylum Chordata: lancelets, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals. <em>in: Gordon, D.P. (Ed.) (2009). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: 1. Kingdom Animalia: Radiata, Lophotrochozoa, Deuterostomia.</em> pp. 431-554. [details] 

additional source Schmidly, D. J. and B. Würsig. 2009. Mammals (Vertebrata: Mammalia) of the Gulf of Mexico, Pp. 1343–1352 in Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas. [details] 

additional source Liu, J.Y. [Ruiyu] (ed.). (2008). Checklist of marine biota of China seas. <em>China Science Press.</em> 1267 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details] Available for editors  PDF available [request]

additional source Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). , available online at http://www.itis.gov [details] 

 
 Present  Present in aphia/obis/gbif/idigbio   Inaccurate  Introduced: alien  Containing type locality 
   

From editor or global species database
Diet Numerous fish, squid, and marine mammal species, including blue whales; even gulls, penguins and turtles. [details]

Dimensions Length: male 17-29 1/2' (5.1-9 m), female 15-25 1/2' (4.6-7.7 m), at birth 6'+ (1.9 m +). Largest of all dolphins. [details]

Holotype None in existence; name based on killer whale of authors. [details]

IUCN Red List Category Data Deficient (DD) [details]

Type locality "Oceano Europaeo" [details]

Unreviewed
Distribution cosmopolitan [details]

Distribution Antarctica/Southern Ocean; East Pacific; Eastern Atlantic Ocean; Indo-West Pacific; Western Atlantic Ocean [details]

Habitat inshore and offshore [details]

Predators None [details]

Reproduction Breed in spring and summer off the coast of Washington. Gestation is a year. [details]
    Definitions

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LanguageName 
Afrikaans moordvis  [details]
Aleut dukuladaguluk  [details]
Anus nookur  [details]
Basque orkamarzuplaezpalarta  [details]
Bulgarian Косаткаkosаtkа  [details]
Catalan orca  [details]
Chukot musonkjgyssiak  [details]
Czech kosatka dravá  [details]
Danish tandthoyesvarthvalsvaerdvalspækhuggerspaekhoggerornswin  [details]
Dutch zwaardwalvisorkaorcabotskop  [details]
English swordfishsword grampusorcakiller-trasherkiller whalegrampus  [details]
Faroese bovhidehval  [details]
French orque gladiateurorque épaulardorqueepée de merepaularddorque  [details]
German SchwertwalOrcagroßer Schwertwal  [details]
Icelandic sverdfiscurhuydinghahyrningurhahyrnahaa-hirningurfann-fiskar-hydengen  [details]
Indonesian segunipaus pemangsa  [details]
Inuktitut adluk  [details]
Italian orca  [details]
Japanese シャチtakamatsutakashachisakamatasadshi  [details]
Kalaallisut ardlykardlursark  [details]
Korean innuatubeom-gorae  [details]
Lithuanian orka  [details]
Malagasy trozona mpamond  [details]
Modern Greek (1453-) Όρκα  [details]
Norwegian van hundvaghundstourvagnstourvagastaurhvalstarhyn ningspekkhuggerspaekhoggerhvalhund  [details]
Norwegian Bokmål spekkhogger  [details]
Norwegian Nynorsk spekkhoggar  [details]
Polish orka  [details]
Portuguese roaz-de-bandeiraorcabaleia asesina  [details]
Russian косаткаили кит убийцаkosatkakasatka  [details]
Scottish Gaelic pictwale  [details]
Slovenian orka  [details]
Spanish orca verdaderaorca comúnorcamoscotemacheteespadartedelfin gigantecahuel-huaiquebufeo de mascarillaballena quilaballena pintaballena asesina  [details]
Swedish tunnlik tumlaresvärdfiskspäckhuggarespackhuggareoparelöpare  [details]
Thai plawan phechakhat  [details]
Turkish katil balina  [details]
Ukrainian Косатка  [details]
Welsh orca gwrywlleiddiad  [details]
Yupik languages mesungesak  [details]
Marine Life Information Network - UK 
To Barcode of Life (169 barcodes) 
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (1 publication) (from synonym Orca gladiator arcticus Gervais, 1869-1871)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (1 publication) (from synonym Orca gladiator tasmaniensis Cabrera, 1961)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (15 publications) (from synonym Orca antarctica Fischer, 1876)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (18 publications) (from synonym Orca pacifica Gray, 1870)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (192 publications) (from synonym Orca minor Malm, 1871)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (194 publications) (from synonym Delphinus orca Linnaeus, 1758)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (195 publications) 
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (2 publications) (from synonym Orcinus orca eschrichti Trouessart, 1904)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (23 publications) (from synonym Grampus orca Iredale & Troughton, 1933)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (25 publications) (from synonym Orca stenorhyncha Gray, 1870)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (3 publications) (from synonym Orca gladiator australis Gervais, 1869-1871)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (3 publications) (from synonym Orca schlegelii Lilljeborg, 1866)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (3 publications) (from synonym Delphinus serra Borowski, 1780)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (3 publications) (from synonym Orcinus nanus Mikhalev, Ivashin, Savusin & Zelenaya, 1981)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (32 publications) (from synonym Delphinus grampus Blainville, 1817)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (35 publications) (from synonym Orca atra Gray, 1871)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (36 publications) (from synonym Orca rectipinna Cope, 1869)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (38 publications) (from synonym Orca capensis Gray, 1846)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (43 publications) (from synonym Orca ater Cope, 1869)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (479 publications) (from synonym Orca gladiator Van Beneden & Gervais, 1869-1880)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (5 publications) (from synonym Delphinus victorini Grill, 1858)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (66 publications) (from synonym Delphinus gladiator Bonnaterre, 1789)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (66 publications) (from synonym Orca orca Lahille, 1914)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (7 publications) (from synonym Orca tasmanica Gray, 1871)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (7 publications) (from synonym Orca africana Gray, 1871)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (73 publications) (from synonym Orca latirostris Gray, 1870)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (74 publications) (from synonym Physeter microps Fabricius, 1780)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (8 publications) (from synonym Orcinus glacialis Berzin & Vladimirov, 1982)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (9 publications) (from synonym Ophysia pacifica Gray, 1870)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (9 publications) (from synonym Grampus rectipinna Scheffer, 1942)
To Biological Information System for Marine Life (BISMaL) 
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Orcinus orca) 
To GenBank (173316 nucleotides; 65456 proteins) 
To Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI) 
To IUCN Red List (Data Deficient) 
To NMNH Extant Collection (MMP STR 13911 Orcinus orca pelvis) 
To NMNH Extant Collection (MMP STR 13912 Orcinus orca skeleton) 
To PESI 
To ITIS
From editor or global species database
Unreviewed
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