The dorsal fin is thick and falcate in nature, and is located about a third of the way down the length of the animal. Pilot whale - Globicephala melas and G. macrorhynchus Pilot whales are so named because it was once believed that each observed group was navigated by a pilot or leader. General Information: Long-finned pilot whales are highly active, they can dive for up to 10 minutes to depths of up to 1970 ft (600m). However, this colloquial name comes from its size and behavior. Their distributions do overlap in some parts of the world and it’s very difficult to distinguish between the two. Short-finned pilot whales are found globally in tropical and temperate oceans. The average life span of female long-finned pilot whales is about 50 years, while the average life span of female short-finned pilot whales is a … Found in oceans worldwide, the two species are the long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas) and short-finned pilot whale (G. macrorhynchus). Habits : The Long-finned Pilot Whale remains at the surface for a number of minutes and breathes every one to two minutes. The common name of this species is a reference to the pilot whale's long, sickle-shaped pectoral flippers that are 18 to 27 percent of its total body length. The two look similar at sea and are usually just known simply as Pilot Whales or Calderón in Spanish. This whale usually dives 30 to 60 metres deep in search of food. The dorsal fin is sickle shaped. Long-finned pilot whales are one of two species of pilot whale, along with short-finned pilot whales. They differ only slightly in physical size, features, colouration, and pattern. Female short-finned pilot whales experience menopause, and thus a significant portion of their lives may be spent in a post-reproductive phase. Pilot whales are two types of oceanic dolphins, whose scientific name is Globicephala.The two types of pilot whales are the Long-finned Pilot Whale and the Short-finned Pilot Whale.Their behaviour resembles that of the larger whales more than that of dolphins.. Their Latin name, Globicephala, means ‘round head’, which is one of the main identifying features of the species.The bulbous head and thick curved dorsal fin become even more pronounced in adult males, who become … The Long-Finned Pilot Whale can dive upto 500m when in search for food. Killer whales, large sharks (primarily great whites), and humans are the pilot whales only predators. The short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) is one of the two species of cetaceans in the genus Globicephala, which it shares with the long-finned pilot whale (G. melas).It is part of the oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae), though its behaviour is closer to that of the larger whales. Plastic litter is however a growing threat, with dolphins accidentally ingesting bags mistaken for squid and jellyfish. The common name "pilot whale" comes from an early belief that a pod of whales was led by a pilot or leader. They are one of two species of pilot whale, along with the long-finned pilot whale. It is one of the most commonly mass-stranded whales. Facts. The Long-finned pilot whale is a cetacean member of the Delphinidae family, and one of the largest members of this group. Before sounding, it arches its back and shows its tail. The two species differ slightly in size, features, coloration, and pattern. Although it is commonly called “whale,” it is not a whale of the suborder Mysticeti. Despite their name, pilot whales are not whales at all—they are large dolphins. The long-finned pilot whale is widely distributed in the temperate, sub-polar waters of the world (with the exception of the North Pacific) and two subspecies are separated from each other by tropical waters: G. m. edwardii in the south and G. m. melas in the north. Pilot whales travel in pods usually 10-30 whales, but over 100 have been seen grouped together in deep water.