# Melon-headed whale (*Peponocephala electra*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/melon-headed-whale  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra) is a species in the family Delphinidae, order Cetacea. Recorded adults weigh about 206 kg and live up to 47 years. Its IUCN Red List status is Least Concern.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 206 kg |
| Length | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | 47 years |
| Diet | Piscivore |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | Not recorded |
| Gestation | 365 days |
| Young per litter or clutch | 1 |
| Age at maturity | 6.75 years – 11.6 years |
| Active | Day and night (cathemeral) |
| Lifestyle | Marine |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Mammalia
- order: Cetacea
- family: Delphinidae
- genus: Peponocephala
- species: *Peponocephala electra* (Gray, 1846)

Synonyms: *Delphinus fusiformis*, *Delphinus pectoralis*, *Electra asia*, *Electra electra*, *Electra electra*, *Electra fusiformis*, *Electra obtusa*, *Lagenorhynchus asia*, *Lagenorhynchus electra*, *Lagenorhynchus pectoralis*, *Lagenorhynchus pectoralis*, *Phocaena pectoralis*

## Common questions

### How big is the melon-headed whale?

An adult melon-headed whale weighs 206 kg, according to values recorded on Wikidata.

### Is the melon-headed whale endangered?

The melon-headed whale is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, meaning it is not currently at risk of extinction.

### How long does the melon-headed whale live?

The melon-headed whale has a recorded lifespan of 47 years.

### How long is the melon-headed whale pregnant?

The recorded gestation period is 365 days.

### What kind of animal is the melon-headed whale?

The melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra) belongs to the family Delphinidae in the order Cetacea.

## Sources

- [An amniote life-history database to perform comparative analyses with birds, mammals, and reptiles](https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3563457.v1), CC0 1.0, E096-269. Myhrvold, N.P., Baldridge, E., Chan, B., Sivam, D., Freeman, D.L. & Ernest, S.K.M. (2015) An amniote life-history database to perform comparative analyses with birds, mammals, and reptiles. Ecology 96: 3109. https://doi.org/10.1890/15-0846R.1. Data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3563457.v1
- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [EltonTraits 1.0: species-level foraging attributes of the world's birds and mammals](https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3559887.v1), CC0 1.0, 1.0. Wilman, H., Belmaker, J., Simpson, J., de la Rosa, C., Rivadeneira, M.M. & Jetz, W. (2014) EltonTraits 1.0: Species-level foraging attributes of the world's birds and mammals. Ecology 95: 2027. https://doi.org/10.1890/13-1917.1. Data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3559887.v1
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/melon-headed-whale