dziwne-zwierzęta-oceaniczne: Beaked whale

Evidence: 100 • authority: 72

Beaked whales are members of the cetacean family Ziphiidae, noted as being one of the least-known groups of mammals because of their deep-sea habitat, reclusive behavior and apparent low abundance. There are 24 species currently recognised (with the last only added in 2021), but only three species of beaked whales that have been commercially hunted are reasonably well-known: Baird's beaked whales and Cuvier's beaked whales were subject to exploitation off the coast of Japan, while the northern bottlenose whale was extensively hunted in the northern part of the North Atlantic in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The first time the ginkgo-toothed beaked whale was documented alive was la…

Evidence: 35 • authority: 88

First live sighting of Deraniyagala's beaked whale (<i>Mesoplodon hotaula</i>) or ginkgo‐toothed beaked whale (<i>Mesoplodon ginkgodens</i>) in the western Pacific (South China Sea) with preliminary data on coloration, natural markings, and surfacing patterns. Abstract Beaked whales represent around 25% of known extant cetacean species, yet they are the least known of all marine mammals. Identification of many Mesoplodon species has relied on examination of a few stranded individuals. Particularly, the ginkgo‐toothed beaked whale ( Mesoplodon ginkgodens ) and Deraniyagala's beaked whale ( Mesoplodon hotaula ) are among the least‐known of beaked whale species, without confirmed sightings of…

Evidence: 35 • authority: 88

Northernmost Record of the Ginkgo-Toothed Beaked Whale (Mesoplodon ginkgodens). The ginkgo-toothed beaked whale (Mesoplodon ginkgodens) is one of the least-known cetaceans in the world, with a formerly recognised distribution that included temperate, subtropical, and tropical waters in the North and South Pacific and Indian Oceans. We report an additional specimen of this species, which also represents the northernmost-known specimen—an adult male found dead, stranded off Hokkaido, northernmost Japan.

Evidence: 35 • authority: 80

Sighting of ginkgo-toothed beaked whale (Mesoplodon ginkgodens) or Blainville’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris) in the Lakshadweep Archipelago, India

Evidence: 35 • authority: 92

Identification of the enigmatic Deraniyagala's beaked whale.. It is essential to discover and identify animals in species level in the wild to achieve the collection of baseline data and benefit better understanding and conservation of the rare species. However, this is far from being realized for many beaked whales in the deep sea, including the Deraniyagala's beaked whale ( Mesoplodon hotaula ), which is one of the least-known whales with no confirmed live sightings at sea yet all over the world. Here, we provide the first robust field identification of M. hotaula , by integrating DNA sequencing of skin biopsies, acoustic data, and photographs. Our discovery illustrates that M. hotaula ha…

Evidence: 35 • authority: 72

The orca (Orcinus orca), or killer whale, is a toothed whale and the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family. The only extant species in the genus Orcinus, it is recognizable by its distinct pigmentation; being mostly black on top, white on the bottom and having recognizable white eye patches. A cosmopolitan species, it inhabits a wide range of marine environments, from Arctic to Antarctic regions to tropical seas, but is more commonly documented in temperate or cooler coastal waters. Scientists have proposed dividing the global population into races, subspecies, or possibly even species. Orcas are apex predators with a diverse diet. Individual populations often specialize in particula…