The Killer Whale Is Actually A Dolphin

Despite being called a killer whale, this massive predator is biologically a dolphin. It is the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family, making it more closely related to Flipper than to blue or humpback whales.

The confusion stems from sailors in the past observing pods of orcas hunting larger whale species, leading them to call these predators whale killers. Over time, that name was reversed into the common name we use today. These intelligent marine mammals are so genetically diverse that scientists believe we may eventually classify them into several distinct species. They dominate every ocean on Earth, acting as the ultimate apex predators of the sea.