Annika
@marushkababushka.bsky.social
I have been to conferences specifically on killer whales. I've heard some of the top kw researchers in the world speak in person. Both common names are widely used.
December 12, 2025 at 3:23 AM
I have been to conferences specifically on killer whales. I've heard some of the top kw researchers in the world speak in person. Both common names are widely used.
...yeah, orcinus orca is their scientific name, but they have two common names, killer whale and orca, of which kw is more widely considered correct. What is HAPPENING. You know there's a difference between scientific names and common names, right? We can establish that much?
December 12, 2025 at 3:20 AM
...yeah, orcinus orca is their scientific name, but they have two common names, killer whale and orca, of which kw is more widely considered correct. What is HAPPENING. You know there's a difference between scientific names and common names, right? We can establish that much?
They are dolphins because they're members of delphinidae, and they're whales because they're cetaceans, and if this were the 1700s we'd be calling them whale killers, not killer whales.
You have GOT to brush up on your basic taxonomy if you're going to try to be pedantic about it on the internet.
You have GOT to brush up on your basic taxonomy if you're going to try to be pedantic about it on the internet.
December 12, 2025 at 3:02 AM
They are dolphins because they're members of delphinidae, and they're whales because they're cetaceans, and if this were the 1700s we'd be calling them whale killers, not killer whales.
You have GOT to brush up on your basic taxonomy if you're going to try to be pedantic about it on the internet.
You have GOT to brush up on your basic taxonomy if you're going to try to be pedantic about it on the internet.
Like I'm sorry you don't like it but it's very funny to get into a beef about something that is just a matter of objective fact. Killer whale is their common name. People use orca a lot, which makes it a perfectly valid common name, but doesn't make it more correct.
December 12, 2025 at 2:57 AM
Like I'm sorry you don't like it but it's very funny to get into a beef about something that is just a matter of objective fact. Killer whale is their common name. People use orca a lot, which makes it a perfectly valid common name, but doesn't make it more correct.
...yeah, but we don't call any other modern animal by its scientific name. If we did, we would call wolves "lupus," polar bears "maritimus," pigeons "livia," and humans "sapiens."
They are whales, because all cetaceans are whales, and killer whale is the widely-accepted common name for them.
They are whales, because all cetaceans are whales, and killer whale is the widely-accepted common name for them.
December 12, 2025 at 2:55 AM
...yeah, but we don't call any other modern animal by its scientific name. If we did, we would call wolves "lupus," polar bears "maritimus," pigeons "livia," and humans "sapiens."
They are whales, because all cetaceans are whales, and killer whale is the widely-accepted common name for them.
They are whales, because all cetaceans are whales, and killer whale is the widely-accepted common name for them.
These are northern residents (J, K, & L are southern residents), but they have the same diet. The majority of killer whales are not transients. Transient is another subspecies limited to the Pacific Coast. Most killer whales in the world don't live in the PNW, they're just well-studied here.
December 12, 2025 at 2:52 AM
These are northern residents (J, K, & L are southern residents), but they have the same diet. The majority of killer whales are not transients. Transient is another subspecies limited to the Pacific Coast. Most killer whales in the world don't live in the PNW, they're just well-studied here.
They're called killer whales because they were originally called whale killers. Some subspecies/ecotype hunt and eat whales, dolphins, and porpoises. But the whales in this news story are northern residents, which eat only fish. Almost exclusively Chinook.
December 12, 2025 at 2:47 AM
They're called killer whales because they were originally called whale killers. Some subspecies/ecotype hunt and eat whales, dolphins, and porpoises. But the whales in this news story are northern residents, which eat only fish. Almost exclusively Chinook.
Yes we do. That is literally the name of the species. Orca is just another common name for the same species. Killer whale is not slang; it is the name of the species, and it's what's overwhelmingly preferred by killer whale researchers.
December 12, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Yes we do. That is literally the name of the species. Orca is just another common name for the same species. Killer whale is not slang; it is the name of the species, and it's what's overwhelmingly preferred by killer whale researchers.
So whether you're looking at their scientific classification or the colloquial definition, they're whales.
December 12, 2025 at 2:44 AM
So whether you're looking at their scientific classification or the colloquial definition, they're whales.
Well...yes they are. All cetaceans are whales; cetacea is divided into the toothed whales and the baleen whales. So technically, dolphins and porpoises are all whales. Non-technically, in English, "whale" means "big cetacean." Killer whales are generally considered the smallest of those.
December 12, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Well...yes they are. All cetaceans are whales; cetacea is divided into the toothed whales and the baleen whales. So technically, dolphins and porpoises are all whales. Non-technically, in English, "whale" means "big cetacean." Killer whales are generally considered the smallest of those.
It's almost like social media and a manuscript are two totally different things with totally different expectations
December 4, 2025 at 11:44 PM
It's almost like social media and a manuscript are two totally different things with totally different expectations
13 sweet, 4 savory 😅 very tired, but now in the very fine period in which all the work is done, but I still have pie
December 1, 2025 at 5:59 AM
13 sweet, 4 savory 😅 very tired, but now in the very fine period in which all the work is done, but I still have pie
Experiencing Advanced Pie Toxicity but still got some good work in on the manuscript today. Planning to roll right into Decembo going strong.
December 1, 2025 at 3:50 AM
Experiencing Advanced Pie Toxicity but still got some good work in on the manuscript today. Planning to roll right into Decembo going strong.
Cheering for you in the final stretch! I hope you make your goal, bit either way, well done to get this far!
December 1, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Cheering for you in the final stretch! I hope you make your goal, bit either way, well done to get this far!
Nice work!! Right on time, wow. I bet that feels good.
November 29, 2025 at 5:47 AM
Nice work!! Right on time, wow. I bet that feels good.
The pie feeds the wolf
November 28, 2025 at 6:20 PM
The pie feeds the wolf
Pretend you're going for a loooong run. "Yeah I go really fast. You probably wouldn't enjoy it. The terrain, etc." then right before you leave the coffee shop, just fucking drench yourself in water like an animal
November 28, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Pretend you're going for a loooong run. "Yeah I go really fast. You probably wouldn't enjoy it. The terrain, etc." then right before you leave the coffee shop, just fucking drench yourself in water like an animal
(saluting, nobly crying) I am just proud to have served (pie)
November 28, 2025 at 6:17 PM
(saluting, nobly crying) I am just proud to have served (pie)
Haha thanks. It's grown a little every year. Now it's my own weird little marathon.
November 28, 2025 at 5:13 AM
Haha thanks. It's grown a little every year. Now it's my own weird little marathon.
(I'll make the other 3 tomorrow for the Sat event)
November 28, 2025 at 5:11 AM
(I'll make the other 3 tomorrow for the Sat event)
My fellow Americans...we got em
November 28, 2025 at 5:11 AM
My fellow Americans...we got em
Impressive!! Well done. Amazing what just doing it every day can turn into.
November 26, 2025 at 5:49 AM
Impressive!! Well done. Amazing what just doing it every day can turn into.
Cutting words and vegetables 💪 somehow going to produce 12ish pies tomorrow. I hope you're feeling good in that last push to get those words in!
November 26, 2025 at 5:46 AM
Cutting words and vegetables 💪 somehow going to produce 12ish pies tomorrow. I hope you're feeling good in that last push to get those words in!
Nice! Those are impressive numbers by any standard.
Almost 14k cut here. Entering the hardcore Thanksgiving prep, alas, but still chipping away when I can. Getting this ruthless about cutting is helping me see what is and isn't needed to get my point across on a line level.
Almost 14k cut here. Entering the hardcore Thanksgiving prep, alas, but still chipping away when I can. Getting this ruthless about cutting is helping me see what is and isn't needed to get my point across on a line level.
November 24, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Nice! Those are impressive numbers by any standard.
Almost 14k cut here. Entering the hardcore Thanksgiving prep, alas, but still chipping away when I can. Getting this ruthless about cutting is helping me see what is and isn't needed to get my point across on a line level.
Almost 14k cut here. Entering the hardcore Thanksgiving prep, alas, but still chipping away when I can. Getting this ruthless about cutting is helping me see what is and isn't needed to get my point across on a line level.
They aren't. You're entering the insanity phase of a drafting push. You can't let these things distract you. The wolf doesn't obsess over its front-facing camera
November 13, 2025 at 4:17 PM
They aren't. You're entering the insanity phase of a drafting push. You can't let these things distract you. The wolf doesn't obsess over its front-facing camera