Species Peponocephala electra (J.E. Gray, 1846)
Melon-headed Whale
- Lagenorhynchus electra Gray, J.E. 1846. On the cetaceous animals. pp. 13-53 in Richardson, J. & Gray, J.E. (eds). The Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Erebus and Terror under the Command of Captain Sir James Clark Ross, R.N., F.R.S., during the years 1839 to 1843. Vol. 1 Mammalia, Birds 37 pls. London : E.W. Janson. [35].
Type data:
Holotype BMNH 359a. 1844.10.5.3 skull, unknown locality.
Generic Combinations
- Peponocephala electra (J.E. Gray, 1846).
Distribution
States
New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia
Extra Distribution Information
Circumglobal in tropical waters.
IMCRA
Central Eastern Province (12), Tasman Basin Province (13), Lord Howe Province (14), Central Eastern Transition (15), Kenn Transition (16), Kenn Province (17), Northeast Province (18), Northeast Transition (19), Timor Province (2), Cape Province (20), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Western Shelf Transition (28), Central Western Shelf Province (29), Northwest Transition (3), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northwest Province (4), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41), Central Western Transition (5)
Ecological Descriptors
Gregarious, oceanic, pelagic, predator.
Extra Ecological Information
Diet consists of cephalopods and small fish.
General References
Bryden, M.M. 1978. Whales and whaling in Queensland waters. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 89: v-xviii
Bryden, M.M., Harrison, R.J. & Lear, R.J. 1978. Some aspects of the biology of Peponocephala electra (Cetacea: Delphinidae) 1. General and reproductive biology. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 28: 703-715
Bryden M.M., Dawbin, W.H., Heinsohn, G.E. & Brown, D.H. 1977. Melon-headed whale, Peponocephala electra, on the east coast of Australia. Journal of Mammalogy 58: 180-187
Dawbin, W.H., Noble, B.A. & Fraser, F.C. 1970. Observations on the electra dolphin Peponocephala electra. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Zool. 20: 173-201
Nishiwaki, M. & Norris, K.S. 1966. A new genus, Peponocephala, for the odontocete cetacean species Electra electra. Science Reports of the Whales Research Institute Tokyo 20: 95-100
Common Name References
ABRS 2001. Census of Australian Vertebrates. Australian Biological Resources Study. (Melon-headed Whale)
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-Dec-2010 | 16-Oct-2013 | MODIFIED | ||
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |