The Big Picture: Schlocktober 2012: Orca

[Jegsimmons]

I used to call them killer whales, but now I call them Orcas, because killer whales, regardless of how true that name is in the wild, seems to condescending to me.

For more justification, Orcas aren't whales. They are dolphins.

Actually dolphins are whales.

nope...they're related by dont belong in the same genus.

 

[Drops a Sweet Katana]

I used to call them killer whales, but now I call them Orcas, because killer whales, regardless of how true that name is in the wild, seems to condescending to me.

For more justification, Orcas aren't whales. They are dolphins.

Actually dolphins are whales.

nope...they're related by dont belong in the same genus.

True. But they belong to the same order (Cetacea) COMMONLY KNOWN AS the whales. I'm assuming you're using whale to refer to baleen whales, in which case you're not referring to a single genus but in fact a suborder of Cetacea, the Mysticetes. See post 77 for a more depth view on what I mean when I say whale.

 

[Drops a Sweet Katana]

Snip

I use whale in layman terms, because it is not wise to assume one has knowledge otherwise. I must admit I had not personally thought of it like that, but what you say makes sense.

Fair enough. I shall keep that in mind next time.

 

[Jegsimmons]

I used to call them killer whales, but now I call them Orcas, because killer whales, regardless of how true that name is in the wild, seems to condescending to me.

For more justification, Orcas aren't whales. They are dolphins.

Actually dolphins are whales.

nope...they're related by dont belong in the same genus.

True. But they belong to the same order (Cetacea) COMMONLY KNOWN AS the whales. I'm assuming you're using whale to refer to baleen whales, in which case you're not referring to a single genus but in fact a suborder of Cetacea, the Mysticetes. See post 77 for a more depth view on what I mean when I say whale.

regardless, calling dolphins whales in almost every sense or common use is wrong.

when we say 'An orca is a dolphin not a whale' we dont mean family grouping, we mean genus or species.

its like saying a Hyena is a dog, in a sense true, because they're both canines but wrong in every other use.

 

[Drops a Sweet Katana]

I used to call them killer whales, but now I call them Orcas, because killer whales, regardless of how true that name is in the wild, seems to condescending to me.

For more justification, Orcas aren't whales. They are dolphins.

Actually dolphins are whales.

nope...they're related by dont belong in the same genus.

True. But they belong to the same order (Cetacea) COMMONLY KNOWN AS the whales. I'm assuming you're using whale to refer to baleen whales, in which case you're not referring to a single genus but in fact a suborder of Cetacea, the Mysticetes. See post 77 for a more depth view on what I mean when I say whale.

regardless, calling dolphins whales in almost every sense or common use is wrong.

when we say 'An orca is a dolphin not a whale' we dont mean family grouping, we mean genus or species.

its like saying a Hyena is a dog, in a sense true, because they're both canines but wrong in every other use.

To address your first point, the term whale CAN be used to refer to cetaceans as a whole, but normally doesn't include dolphins and porpoises. So no. I'm not wrong in EVERY sense, just common use.

Secondly, orca do NOT belong to the same genus as dolphins as dolphin is the common term for the family Delphinidae, in which there are 17 genera, including porpoises, orca and a variety of others. Dolphin does NOT refer to a single genus or species.

Thirdly, no. Saying 'Dolphins are whales' is not like saying 'Hyenas are dogs', mainly because dolphins are whales in a broad sense so it's not entirely incorrect. Saying Hyenas are dogs, however, IS entirely incorrect. Hyenas are not canines like dogs (which belong to the family of Canidae), but feliforms (belonging to the suborder of Feliformia), making them closer to the Cats (the family Felidae) than the Dogs (the family Canidae). A more correct thing to say would be 'Hyenas/dogs are Carnivorans', as both belong to the order of Carnivora. This statement is more congruent with the statement 'Dolphins are whales' as whale in this case is being used to describe the order of Cetacea.

Actually, while we're on this topic what would you class as a whale? Preferably refer to species for examples. That way I can see where you're coming from.

 

[jprf]

OK everyone can stop having the 'whale vs dolphin' argument now. The real reason orcas are called 'killer whales' is because they kill whales for food. The name was originally 'whale killer,' but it got flipped around at some point and the change stuck.

 

[MB202]

I used to call them killer whales, but now I call them Orcas, because killer whales, regardless of how true that name is in the wild, seems to condescending to me.

For more justification, Orcas aren't whales. They are dolphins.

Oh, I see. Well, in that regard, Orca really is a better name for them. Unless people start calling them "killer dolphins".