"Keikaimalu" the wholphin (bottom), with her parents: a false killer whale (top) and a bottlenose dolphin (middle)

A wholphin or wolphin is a rare hybrid, formed from a cross between a bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus (mother), and a false killer whale Pseudorca crassidens (father). Although they have been reported to exist in the wild, there are currently only two in captivity, both at the Sea Life Park in Hawaii. Wholphin and parents, from http://www. ... Wholphin and parents, from http://www. ... Binomial name Pseudorca crassidens (Owen, 1846) False Killer Whale range The Lovely Whale (Pseudorca crassidens) is a cetacean and one of the larger members of the oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae). ... Binomial name Montagu, 1821 Bottlenose Dolphin range (in blue) The Bottlenose Dolphin is the most common and well-known dolphin. ... // This article is about a biological term. ... Binomial name Montagu, 1821 Bottlenose Dolphin range (in blue) The Bottlenose Dolphin is the most common and well-known dolphin. ... Binomial name Pseudorca crassidens (Owen, 1846) False Killer Whale range The Lovely Whale (Pseudorca crassidens) is a cetacean and one of the larger members of the oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae). ... Dolphin Discovery is a Mexican company which offers interactive programs with dolphins in four locations in Mexico: Puerto Aventuras (Riviera Maya), Cozumel and Cancun-Isla Mujeres, and Nuevo Vallarta (Pacific Coast). ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,931 sq mi (29,311 km²)  - Width n/a miles (n/a km)  - Length 1,522 miles (2,450 km)  - % water 41. ...

The first captive wholphin hybrid was born in 1985 where a female bottlenose dolphin and a male false killer whale shared a pool. The wholphin's size, colour and shape are intermediate between the parent species. Named Kekaimalu, she has 66 teeth - intermediate between a bottlenose (88 teeth) and false killer whale (44 teeth).

The wholphin proved fertile when she gave birth at a very young age. Unfortunately, the calf died after a few days. However, in 1991, Kekaimalu gave birth once again, to daughter Pohaikealoha. For 2 years she cared for the calf, but did not nurse it (it was hand-reared by trainers). Pohaikealoha died at age 9.

On December 23, 2004, Kekaimalu had her third calf, daughter Kawili Kai, sired by a male bottlenose. This calf did nurse and was very playful. Only months after birth, it was the size of a 1-year-old bottlenose dolphin. December 23 is the 357th day of the year (358th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Both remain in captivity, and are not part of the normal tour at Sea Life Park. The backstage tour must be taken to see the wholphins. Keikaimalu is featured in the main dolphin show at Sea Life Park.

Wholphins, though not commonly sighted by fishermen, are known in popular seafaring lore as "The Great Grey Beast".

Although the word 'wholphin' is a portmanteau of whale and dolphin, since false killer whales are members of the family Delphinidae, that is, dolphins and not true whales, the wholphin is a kind of dolphin. For more detail on the ambiguity of the term, see whale. Herds of false killer whales and bottlenose dolphins associate together in the wild and there are unsubstantiated reports of natural hybrids between the two species. A portmanteau (IPA pronunciation: RP, US) is a word or morpheme that fuses two or more words or word parts to give a combined or loaded meaning. ... A Fin Whale The term whale is ambiguous: it can refer to all cetaceans, to just the larger ones, or only to members of particular families within the order Cetacea. ... Genera See article below. ... Genera See text Oceanic dolphins are the members of the Delphinidae family of cetaceans. ... A Fin Whale The term whale is ambiguous: it can refer to all cetaceans, to just the larger ones, or only to members of particular families within the order Cetacea. ...

External links

• Sea Life Park Pictures (Bottom of Page)
• Sea Life Park Pictures(Top of Page)
• Waimanalo Hapa Girl Makes 10!, by Keene Rees
• Whale-dolphin hybrid has baby wholphin at MSNBC
• A 'Wholphin' Is Born at CBS News