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The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
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The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
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The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), or cachalot, is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator. It is the only living member of genus Physeter, and one of three extant species in the sperm whale family, along with the pygmy sperm whale and dwarf sperm whale of the genus Kogia. Mature males average 16 metres (52 ft) in length but some may reach 20.5 metres (67 ft), with the head representing up to one-third of the animal's length.
The sperm whale is a pelagic mammal with a worldwide range, and will migrate seasonally for feeding and breeding. Females and young males live together in groups while mature males live solitary lives outside of the mating season. The females cooperate to protect and nurse their young. Females give birth every four to twenty years, and care for the calves for more than a decade. A mature sperm whale has few natural predators, although calves and weakened adults are sometimes killed by pods of orcas. The sperm whale is the largest toothed whale, with adult males measuring up to 20.5 metres (67 ft) long and weighing up to 57,000 kilograms (56 long tons; 63 short tons). By contrast, the second largest toothed whale (Baird's Beaked Whale) measures 12.8 metres (42 ft) and weighs up to 15 short tons (14,000 kg). Average sizes Length and Weight Male 16 metres (52 ft) 41,000 kilograms (45 short tons) Female 11 metres (36 ft) 14,000 kilograms (15 short tons) Newborn 4 metres (13 ft) 1,000 kilograms (1.1 short tons) credits to @mike_korostelev @mike_korostelev @hidrobiology21 and @koba_tan_oga  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
The sperm whale's lower jaw is very narrow and underslung. The sperm whale has 18 to 26 teeth on each side of its lower jaw which fit into sockets in the upper jaw. The teeth are cone-shaped and weigh up to 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) each.[49] The teeth are functional, but do not appear to be necessary for capturing or eating squid, as well-fed animals have been found without teeth or even with deformed jaws. One hypothesis is that the teeth are used in aggression between males. Mature males often show scars which seem to be caused by the teeth. Rudimentary teeth are also present in the upper jaw, but these rarely emerge into the mouth. Analyzing the teeth is the preferred method for determining a whale's age. Like the age-rings in a tree, the teeth build distinct layers of cementum and dentine as they grow. The brain is the largest known of any modern or extinct animal, weighing on average about 7.8 kilograms (17 lb).
Sperm whales usually dive between 300 to 800 metres (980 to 2,620 ft), and sometimes 1 to 2 kilometres (3,300 to 6,600 ft), in search of food. Such dives can last more than an hour. They feed on several species, notably the giant squid, but also the colossal squid, octopuses, and fish like demersal rays, but their diet is mainly medium-sized squid. Some prey may be taken accidentally while eating other items. Most of what is known about deep sea squid has been learned from specimens in captured sperm whale stomachs, although more recent studies analysed feces. One study, carried out around the Galápagos, found that squid from the genera Histioteuthis (62%), Ancistrocheirus (16%), and Octopoteuthis (7%) weighing between 12 and 650 grams (0.026 and 1.433 lb) were the most commonly taken. Battles between sperm whales and giant squid or colossal squid have never been observed by humans; however, white scars are believed to be caused by the large squid. One study published in 2010 collected evidence that suggests that female sperm whales may collaborate when hunting Humboldt squid. credits to @peppersrilanka @projectarkfoundation @uwahi and @sarracenia_rea  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
Bull sperm whales only have teeth in their lower jaws but they are still able to inflict scars on each other (according to the account posted by Epiva) and probably the deepest diving whale after the pilot whale. Many of the extraordinary huge bull whale specimens have been killed by whalers sadly.
A huge whale, thought to be about 50 ft or 15.24 m long, was spotted in the shallow water of the Swale, near Whitstable seafront in Kent County, southeast England, before getting stuck in the Thames Estuary and dying. It was "distressed" and appeared to have had a slight injury to its head: https://www.kentonline.co.uk/whitstable/...st-221185/, https://www.kentonline.co.uk/faversham/n...ed-221320/, https://www.kentonline.co.uk/sheerness/n...le-221286/, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-kent-51343179, https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/sp...g-21410106
Credit: BDMLR  *This image is copyright of its original author
Fascinating.. Whales are probably one of the largest animals living in modern times, with the blue whale being the largest marine animal. The largest blue whale has been recorded to be up to 29.9 meters long and as heavy as 173 tonnes. That’s 173000 kilograms!
 *This image is copyright of its original author
(10-13-2017, 04:57 PM)epaiva Wrote: The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), or cachalot, is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator. It is the only living member of genus Physeter, and one of three extant species in the sperm whale family, along with the pygmy sperm whale and dwarf sperm whale of the genus Kogia. Mature males average 16 metres (52 ft) in length but some may reach 20.5 metres (67 ft), with the head representing up to one-third of the animal's length. these animal are also still on their way to extinction since human keep on the illegal hunting
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(10-13-2017, 04:57 PM)epaiva Wrote: The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), or cachalot, is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator. It is the only living member of genus Physeter, and one of three extant species in the sperm whale family, along with the pygmy sperm whale and dwarf sperm whale of the genus Kogia. Mature males average 16 metres (52 ft) in length but some may reach 20.5 metres (67 ft), with the head representing up to one-third of the animal's length. these animal are also still on their way to extinction since human keep on the illegal hunting [/quote] For sperm whales, in particular, I believe the only whaling that's still practiced today are aboriginal hunts that occur in Azores and Lamalera, which are legally permitted. Not exactly endorsing it, but I think it's a safe assumption that these small-scale hunts won't have the same ecological impact as the commercial whaling of the 19th and 20th century, which reduced sperm whales to a 1/3rd of the historical population of 1.1 million. The biggest conservational threads to the ~300,000 Sperm whales left today are more likely plastics, vessel strikes, entanglement in fishing equipment, chemical pollution, and noise pollution.   *This image is copyright of its original author Quote:The biggest sperm whale I've ever seen appears to be over 20 meters long caught by whalers in Caneiro - Lagoa - Lajes do Pico, Azores |
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