Why are orcas called "killer whales" when they are dolphins?

Dolphins and whales are closely related. Orcas received the name "killer whale" by ancient sailors' observations of groups of orcas that hunted and fed on larger species of whales. In the beginning, they were called as "whale killer", a term that was eventually changed to the easier "killer whale." Their Latin name, Orcinus orca, also reflects this observation of killer whales feeding on large whales. Orcinus translates to ‘of the kingdom of the dead,’ and orca refers to a kind of whale. We know that orcas are top predators, but not the vicious ‘whale killers’ that the ancient mariners thought of them.
 Las orcas son asesinas?

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