pilot whale; blackfish; larger Delphinidae whale
Refers to larger whales in the dolphin family, especially the pilot whale. Sometimes read ごんどうくじら. Rare term; more commonly called 巨頭鯨 (ごんどうくじら) or simply ゴンドウクジラ.
See also: ゴンドウクジラ
The term 五島鯨 can refer to larger species of the Delphinidae family.
In these waters, pilot whales, called ごとうくじら, can be seen.
Rare kanji spelling; the word is usually written in kana. The reading ごとうくじら is standard for this form.
Katakana spelling, often used in biological contexts.
The origin is uncertain. The kanji 五島 (Gotō) may refer to the Gotō Islands, but the connection to whales is unclear. The reading ごんどうくじら is likely a variant.