Hector's Beaked Whale

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Hector's Beaked Whale
Size comparison against an average human
Conservation status
Data deficient (DD)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Cetacea Suborder: Odontoceti Family: Ziphidae Genus: Mesoplodon Species: M. hectori
Binomial name
Mesoplodon hectori Gray, 1871
Hector's Beaked Whale range

Hector's Beaked Whale, Mesoplodon hectori, is a small Mesoplodont living in the Southern Hemisphere. This whale is named after Sir James Hector, a founder of the colonial museum in Wellington, New Zealand. Some specimens washed up and sighted in California that were once thought to belong to this species have subsequently been shown to be Perrin's Beaked Whale. As of 2002, they have yet to be seen alive in the wild.

[edit] Physical Description

This small beaked whale has a fairly typical Mesoplodon body. The distinctive teeth on the males are triangular and positioned directly behind the end of the beak. The coloration of this species is dark above and light below, although the head is light colored with some dark markings on the rostrum and around the eyes. The males of the species are at least 4.2 meters (14 feet) in length, and the length of females in not known. They are believed to be less than 1.9 meters (6'3") when born.

[edit] Behavior

Nothing known, but it is likely a squid predator.

[edit] Population and Distribution

This species appears to be rather common around New Zealand, and has also stranded off Tasmania, South America, the Falkland Islands, and South Africa.

[edit] Conservation

This species have never been hunted at all, and has not entangled itself in fishing gear.

[edit] References

Cetaceans Portal

• Cetacean Specialist Group (1996). Mesoplodon hectori. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.
• Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals. Edited by William F. Perrin, Bernd Wursig, and J.G.M Thewissen. Academic Press, 2002. ISBN 0-12-551340-2
• Sea Mammals of the World. Written by Randall R. Reeves, Brent S. Steward, Phillip J. Clapham, and James A. Owell. A & C Black, London, 2002. ISBN 0-7136-6334-0

[edit] External links

• Factsheets
• Cetaceans of the World
• CMS