Straptoothed Whale
Although there are more records about the Straptoothed Whale than any other of the Mesoplodon species, it is still a little-known and little-seen cetacean. It is curcumpolar in the Southern Hemisphere, with most records originating from the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, mainly around Australia and New Zealand.
Classification: The Straptoothed Whale was named by British biologist John Gray in 1865, after seeing drawings by the South African Museum's curator, E. L. Layard, after whom it was eventually named. The common name refers to the strange teeth found in adult males.
Local Names: Layard's Beaked Whale; Strap-Tooth Beaked Whale.
Description: Adults are mainly black with patches of grey and white that largely occur in the genital area, around the front of the upper jaw, the lower jaw, throat and chest. There is a grey blaze from the melon to almost two-thirds of the way to the dorsal. Teeth erupt in males only, extending from the lower jaw to curve over the upper, preventing it from opening fully. This does not, however, seem to interfere with feeding. The longest female recorded measured 6.15m, while the longest male reached 5.84m.
Recognition at sea: Unknown.
Habitat: The Straptoothed Whale occurs in cold temperate waters.
Food & Feeding:Unknown.
Behaviour: Unknown.
Longevity: Unknown.
Estimated Current Population: Unknown.
The Influence of Man: Unknown.
Source: CETACEA
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