scab-whales lives in wide areas of all seas, with exception of the polar zones. One distinguishes 2 types today: the ordinary scab-whale (Globicephala melas) as well as the Indian scab-whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus).
Shape Typically for these 3,6-8,5 m long whales, who are very narrowly relatives with the family of the dolphins, they is spherical, griech. Globicephala = "ball-head!") front-head before-curved over the mouth-column. The narrow flippers take up one fifth of the length approximately and wander about far to the back. Lies the approximately 30 cm up back-Finn remarkably far in the front, whom the characteristic hook-form shows. The tail-flukes stretch approximately 1,3 m. A male scab-whale of 4,2 m of length surged 680 kg. On each jaw-side, 7-13 powerful teeth stand. Apart, scab-whales are colored completely black by one white, from time to time far to the back running out Kehlfleck.
Way of life Scab-whales live together several 100 animals sociably in schools of often and have the distinct inclination to follow a leader ("pilots"). Different catch-methods of the whalers are based on it now, that, Z. B. on the Färöern, first some animals of the troop wounds and then drives it against the beach, until the whole bunch strands and can be slaughtered easily. But also without help of the human being, Massenstrandungen of scab-whales are no rarity.
Hikes Scab-whales hike in the change of the seasons between the open sea (winters) and coast-waters (summers) back and forth; they follow hikes of its loot-animals (Kopffüßer) presumably on that occasion. Also fish carry off scab-whales in limited scope.
Reproduction The combination takes place in the warm tropical and subtropical waters of the hibernation-areas. After 14-15 months of Tragzeit, a 1,4-1,8 m long young was born and approximately 20-22 for months is suckled. Male animals of the ordinary scab-whale become sexually mature, female against it with 12-20 years (4,8 m of length) already with 6-10 years and 3,8 m of length. A female brings approximately every 3,5 years a young to the world. With the Indian smooth-whale, the distance between the births amounts on average to 4-5,6 years. The life expectancy of the ordinary smooth-whale is estimated at 30-50 years.
Continuance Scab-whales became bejagt strongly. Landgestützter whale-catch found before the Orkney and Shetland-Inseln, the Färöern, Norway, Greenland and Newfoundland instead of. Before Newfoundland, the continuance went out meanwhile while annually approximately 1500 scab-whales are still slaughtered before the Färöern. Despite the decimation of the continuance, the scab-whales are not regarded as threatened. However, extensive continuance-estimates are not available until now.
Scientific name: