Globicephala melas

(Traill, 1809)

Long-finned Pilot Whale

Taxonomy

Subclass : Theria
Infraclass : Placentalia
Magnorder : Boreoeutheria
Superorder : Laurasiatheria
Order : Artiodactyla
Suborder : Whippomorpha
Infraorder : Cetacea
Parvorder : Odontoceti
Superfamily : Delphinoidea
Family : Delphinidae
Subfamily : Globicephalinae
Genus : Globicephala

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Nicholson's J. Nat. Philos. Chem. Arts, vol. 22, 81

Original name as described

Delphinus melas

Other common names

Atlantic Pilot Whale · Caaing Whale · Common Blackfish · Common Pilot Whale · Northern Pilot Whale · Pothead Whale · North Atlantic Long-finned Pilot Whale · Southern Long-finned Pilot Whale

Type material

BMNH:Mamm:1844.12.3.2 (= BMNH:Mamm:363a)

Type kind

lectotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/7d7c3c40-667a-4de3-a574-59e5bafa8d14

Type locality

"in Scapay Bay, in Pomona, one of the Orkneys," Scotland, UK.

Biogeographic realm

Marine

Country distribution

Algeria · Argentina · Australia · Belgium · Bouvet Island · Brazil · Canada · Chile · Denmark · Falkland Islands · France · French Southern and Antarctic Lands · Germany · Greenland · Iceland · Ireland · Italy · Libya · Malta · Mauritania · Morocco · Namibia · Netherlands · New Zealand · Norway · Peru · Portugal · Madeira · Azores · South Africa · Prince Edward Islands · South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands · Spain · Sweden · Tunisia · United Kingdom · United States · Uruguay · Antarctica · Angola? · Norfolk Island

Subregion distribution

USA(CT,DC,DE,MA,MD,ME,NH,NJ,NY,NC,RI,VA)

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1006414

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Known distribution is shown in green and predicted distribution is in yellow. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details. If the list is long, scroll down to see more.

Delphinus melas

(Traill, 1809)

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

melas

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1844.12.3.2 (= BMNH:Mamm:363a)

Type kind

lectotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/7d7c3c40-667a-4de3-a574-59e5bafa8d14

Authority page

81

Authority publication

Journal of Natural Philosophy, Chemistry and Arts

Delphinus deductor

(W. Scoresby, 1820)

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

deductor

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1844.12.3.2 (= BMNH:Mamm:363a)

Type kind

lectotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/7d7c3c40-667a-4de3-a574-59e5bafa8d14

Authority page

496

Authority publication

Edinburgh

Name usages

Lesson (1842:200) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

Globiocephalus incrassatus

J. E. Gray, 1862

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

incrassata

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1853.1.5.1

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/129d790f-a49b-4d26-bb83-7da2bd03ace9

Authority page

309

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28553581

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Phocaena Edwardii

(A. Smith, 1834)

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

edwardii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1853.9.18.26

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/8655f1bf-f310-411a-8cb8-23cfb23b7e52

Authority page

239

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15968357

Authority publication

South African Quarterly Journal

Globicephala leucosagmaphora

Rayner, 1939

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

leucosagmaphora

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1992.78

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/4ddf8cde-2c4a-4e60-b63c-d66f712fcae1 https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/b5b068e0-f101-442d-9435-859f488ed00d https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/fba191eb-e30f-4861-a624-55d45b2d412c

Authority page

543

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Name usages

Mead & Brownell (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9684)

Delphinus grinda

(Lyngbye, 1825)

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

grinda

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

lost (number not known)

Type kind

nonexistent

Authority page

232

Authority publication

Tidsskrift for Naturvidenskaberne

Globiocephalus chilensis

R. A. Philippi, 1896

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

chilensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MNHNCL (number not known)

Type kind

syntypes

Authority page

7

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/35028971

Authority publication

Anales del Museo Nacional de Chile

Globiocephalus Svineval

J. E. Gray, 1847

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

svineval

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

RCS 1137, RCS 1138

Type kind

syntypes

Authority page

32

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/6957463

Authority publication

London

Name usages

Mead & Brownell (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9684)

Grampus affinis

(J. E. Gray, 1866)

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

affinis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Type

RCS 1138

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

300

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9730045

Authority publication

British Museum Catalogue

Globiocephalus affinis

J. E. Gray, 1847

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

affinis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

RCS 2999

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

32

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/6957463

Authority publication

London

Delphinus intermedius

(Harlan, 1827)

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

intermedia

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

51

Authority publication

Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia

Delphinus Harlani

(J. B. Fischer, 1830)

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

harlani

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

656 [as 456]

Authority publication

Stuttgart

Globiocephalus melas

F. W. True, 1885

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

melas

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

589

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7306383

Authority publication

Proceedings of the United States National Museum

Name usages

True (1885:589, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7306383) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35039)

Globicephalus melas

Lahille, 1899

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

melas

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

201

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/35147067

Authority publication

Primera Reunión del Congreso Científico Latino Americano

Name usages

Lahille (1899:201, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/35147067) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37834)

Globicephala melas edwardii

Mead & Brownell, 2005

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

edwardii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

  1. Mead & Brownell (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9684)
  2. Mittermeier & Wilson (2014:516) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67175)

Globicephala melas

Mead & Brownell, 2005

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

melas

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

  1. Mead & Brownell (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9684)
  2. Mittermeier & Wilson (2014:516) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67175)
  3. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #9250) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  4. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #9250) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  5. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1006414) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  6. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/9250/50356171) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Globicephala melas melas

Mead & Brownell, 2005

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

melas

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

  1. Mead & Brownell (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9684)
  2. Mittermeier & Wilson (2014:516) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67175)

Globicephalus deductor

E. Blyth, 1863

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

deductor

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

89

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47534770

Authority publication

Calcutta

Name usages

Blyth (1863:89, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47534770) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37155)

delphinus globiceps

(G. Cuvier, 1812)

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

globiceps

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

14

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3499194

Authority publication

Annales du Muséum d'histoire naturelle

Name usages

  1. Lesson (1842:200) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)
  2. Mead & Brownell (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9684)

Phocœna globiceps

(Lesson, 1827)

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

globiceps

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

416

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207883

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Lesson (1827:416, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207883) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)

Globicephalus fuscus

R. Hamilton, 1837

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

fuscus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_nudum

Authority page

220

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/57246763

Authority publication

Edinburgh

Globicephalus conductor

Rapp, 1837

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

conductor

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

notusedas_valid

Authority page

34

Authority publication

Stuttgart

Delphinus carbonarius

(J. A. Wagner, 1846)

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

carbonaria

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

305

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42534151

Authority publication

Die Säugthiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur

Delphinus grampus

(J. E. Gray, 1847)

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

grampus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

notusedas_valid

Authority page

32

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/6957463

Authority publication

London

Globiocephalus Edwardsii

J. E. Gray, 1866

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

edwardsii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

320

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9730065

Authority publication

British Museum Catalogue

Phocaena Edwardsii

(F. W. True, 1889)

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

edwardsii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination · incorrect_subsequent_spelling

Authority page

135

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7361855

Authority publication

Bulletin of the United States National Museum

Globicephala melaena

O. Thomas, 1898

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

melaena

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

unjustified_emendation

Authority page

99

Authority publication

The Zoologist

Name usages

  1. Davies (1963:111) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/42155)
  2. Corbet & Hill (1980:111) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
  3. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:292) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)

Globicephala mela

Morice, 1958

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

mela

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

85, 103

Authority publication

Rev. Trav. Inst. Peches Maritimes

Globicephala melaena edwardi

J. L. Davies, 1960

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

edwardi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

34

Authority publication

Journal of Mammalogy

Globicephalus chiliensis

Jefferson, 2021

Family

Delphinidae

Root name

chiliensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

18

Authority publication

NOAA Professional Paper NMFS

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