The killer whale is one of 35 species in the oceanic dolphin family, which first appeared about 11 million years ago. Konrad Gessner wrote the first scientific description of a killer whale in his "Fish book" of 1558, based on examination of a dead stranded animal in the Bay of Greifswald that had attracted a great deal of local interest. Orcinus orca is the only recognized extant species in the genus Orcinus, one of many animal species originally described by Linnaeus in 1758 in Systema Naturae. Killer whales feature strongly in the mythologies of indigenous cultures, with their reputation ranging from being the souls of humans to merciless killers. Wild killer whales are not considered a threat to humans, although there have been cases of captives killing or injuring their handlers at marine theme parks. In late 2005, the killer whales known as the " southern resident killer whales" were placed on the U.S. Some local populations are considered threatened or endangered due to prey depletion, habitat loss, pollution (by PCBs), capture for marine mammal parks, and conflicts with fisheries. The IUCN currently assesses the orca's conservation status as data deficient because of the likelihood that one or more killer whale types are separate species. Their sophisticated hunting techniques and vocal behaviors, which are often specific to a particular group and passed across generations, have been described as manifestations of culture. Killer whales are highly social some populations are composed of matrilineal family groups which are the most stable of any animal species. Killer whales are regarded as apex predators, lacking natural predators and preying on even large sharks. Some feed exclusively on fish, while others hunt marine mammals such as sea lions, seals, walruses and even large whales. Killer whales as a species have seal a diverse diet, although individual populations often specialize in particular types of prey. Killer whales are found in all oceans, from the frigid Arctic and Antarctic regions to tropical seas. The killer whale ( Orcinus orca), commonly referred to as the orca, and less commonly as the blackfish, is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family.
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