What is the maximal age a Melon-headed whale reaches?
An adult Melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra) usually gets as old as 47 years.
Melon-headed whales are around 365 days in the womb of their mother. When born, they weight 253 grams (0.56 lbs) and measure 7.8 cm (0′ 4″). They are a member of the Delphinidae family (genus: Peponocephala). Fully grown, they reach a bodylength of 88.6 cm (2′ 11″).
As a reference: Usually, humans get as old as 100 years, with the average being around 75 years. After being carried in the belly of their mother for 280 days (40 weeks), they grow to an average size of 1.65m (5′ 5″) and weight in at 62 kg (137 lbs), which is obviously highly individual.
The melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra), also (less commonly) known as the electra dolphin, little killer whale, or many-toothed blackfish, is a small- to medium-sized toothed whale of the oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae). The common name is derived from the head shape. Melon-headed whales are widely distributed throughout deep tropical/subtropical waters worldwide, however they are rarely encountered at sea. They are found near shore only around oceanic islands, such as Hawaiʻi, French Polynesia and the Philippines.
Animals of the same family as a Melon-headed whale
Not really brothers and sisters, but from the same biological family (Delphinidae):
- Pantropical spotted dolphin becoming 46 years old
- Hourglass dolphin growing to a mass of 110 kgs (242.51 lbs)
- Northern right whale dolphin growing to a mass of 113 kgs (249.12 lbs)
- Atlantic spotted dolphin growing to a mass of 110 kgs (242.51 lbs)
- Striped dolphin becoming 50 years old
- Chilean dolphin growing to a mass of 45 kgs (99.21 lbs)
- Pygmy killer whale with 1 babies per pregnancy
- Peale’s dolphin growing to a mass of 120 kgs (264.55 lbs)
- White-beaked dolphin with 1 babies per pregnancy
- Dusky dolphin growing to a mass of 127.25 kgs (280.54 lbs)
Animals that reach the same age as Melon-headed whale
With an average age of 47 years, Melon-headed whale are in good companionship of the following animals:
- Harbor seal usually reaching 40 years
- Hamadryas baboon usually reaching 40 years
- Bactrian camel usually reaching 40 years
- Chacma baboon usually reaching 45 years
- Lion-tailed macaque usually reaching 40 years
- Javan rhinoceros usually reaching 40 years
- Beluga whale usually reaching 40 years
- Ringed seal usually reaching 46 years
- Mandrill usually reaching 46.25 years
- Humboldt’s white-fronted capuchin usually reaching 44 years
Weighting as much as Melon-headed whale
A fully grown Melon-headed whale reaches around 206 kg (454.15 lbs). So do these animals:
- Dwarf sperm whale weighting 183 kilos (403.45 lbs) on average
- Blue wildebeest weighting 197.31 kilos (434.99 lbs) on average
- Hawaiian monk seal weighting 223 kilos (491.63 lbs) on average
- East African oryx weighting 200.58 kilos (442.2 lbs) on average
- Lichtenstein’s hartebeest weighting 168 kilos (370.38 lbs) on average
- Anoa weighting 180.86 kilos (398.73 lbs) on average
- Sable antelope weighting 235.2 kilos (518.53 lbs) on average
- Sambar deer weighting 177.52 kilos (391.36 lbs) on average
- Caribbean monk seal weighting 198.38 kilos (437.35 lbs) on average
- Visayan warty pig weighting 189.4 kilos (417.56 lbs) on average