Melonheaded Whale
| Scientific Name | Peponocephala electra |  | |
| English Common Name | Melon-headed whale | ||
| Taxonomy | Class: Mammalia Order: Cetacea Sub-order: Odontoceti Family: Delphinidae Genus: Peponocephala Species: electra | ||
| Behaviour | Quite a boisterous species, melon-headed whales have been know to bow-ride although are usually wary of boats. When travelling fast they tend to remain close to the surface of the water making identification difficult. Usually seen in large pods of several hundred individuals; several thousand is not uncommon. Another one of the dolphin species commonly known to mass strand. | ||
| World Distribution | Comprehensive knowledge on distribution is lacking although from available records they are thought to inhabit tropical and subtropical offshore waters around the world. Northern and southern range limits are likely to be associated with water temperature. They are not thought to be migratory and are known to be resident in several areas including the east coast of Australia, Hawaii and the Philippines. | ||
| Morphology | As its name suggests, the melon-headed whale has a pointed “melon-shaped” head with no beak. It has a very slender, dark-grey body with a grey/white patch on the chest and underbelly. The dorsal fin is tall and pointed whilst the flippers are long and pointed. | ||
| Threats | The primary threat is incidental entanglement in fishing nets. Other threats include directed hunts. | ||
| Status | No estimate of total abundance for the species is available. | ||
| Conservation Activities | CITES Appendix II CMS “not listed” IUCN – Least Concern | ||
