The Christian Science Monitor reported today that research by Charles Q. Choi, indicates that:
Killer whales may not be just one species but rather four or more, with each hunting different prey, living in their own kinds of groups, prowling their own unique ranges and speaking in distinct ways, according to new genetic research.
With powerful bodies, sharp minds, and the ability to work together like packs of wolves, killer whales, also called orcas, can hunt down and kill virtually anything — including great white sharks and the largest creature to ever live, the blue whale. Orcas are actually not whales at all, but the largest of all dolphins.
Scientists had suspected more than one species of killer whale had existed for quite some time, based on marked differences in behavior and subtle physical variations. In the North Pacific alone, three distinct types of killer whales were recognized…
To read the full article, go to csmonitor.com/Science/2010/0428/Scientists-discover-new-killer-whale-species
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