A systematic name is a name given in a systematic way to one unique group, organism, object or chemical substance , out of a specific population or collection. Systematic names are usually part of a nomenclature .
68-399: See text Beaked whales ( systematic name Ziphiidae ) are a family of cetaceans noted as being one of the least-known groups of mammals because of their deep-sea habitat, reclusive behavior and apparent low abundance. Only three or four of the 24 existing species are reasonably well-known. Baird's beaked whales and Cuvier's beaked whales were subject to commercial exploitation, off
136-465: A unique identifier . Systematic names often co-exist with earlier common names assigned before the creation of any systematic naming system. For example, many common chemicals are still referred to by their common or trivial names, even by chemists. In chemistry, a systematic name describes the chemical structure of a chemical substance , thus giving some information about its chemical properties. The Compendium of Chemical Terminology published by
204-493: A "soft" pigmentation pattern alone is insufficient evidence to conclude that an animal is female. Cuvier's beaked whales at birth have a weight about 250–300 kg (550–660 lb) and a length of 2–3 m (6 ft 7 in – 9 ft 10 in). Calves are black or dark blue with a white belly. Females reach maturity at an average length of 5.8–6.7 m (19–22 ft) and males at 5.8–7.0 m (19–23 ft), weighing about 2 to 3.5 tons. Cuvier's beaked whale
272-791: A Cuvier's beaked whale making a dive that lasted 222 minutes, another mammalian record. Deep-diving mammals face a number of challenges related to extended breath-holding and hydrostatic pressure. Cetaceans and pinnipeds that prolong apnea must optimize the size and use of their oxygen stores, and they must deal with the accumulation of lactic acid due to anaerobic metabolism. Beaked whales have several anatomical adaptations to deep diving: large spleens , livers, and body shape. Most cetaceans have small spleens. However, beaked whales have much larger spleens than delphinids, and may have larger livers, as well. These anatomical traits, which are important for filtering blood, could be adaptations to deep diving. Another notable anatomical adaptation among beaked whales
340-475: A deep dive and must pass vertically through varying received sound levels. Since the whale has limited remaining oxygen supplies at the end of a long dive, it probably has limited abilities to display any normal sound avoidance behavior. Instead, the whale must continue to swim toward the surface to replenish its oxygen stores. Avoiding sonar inevitably requires a change in behavior or surfacing pattern. Therefore, sonar in close proximity to groups of beaked whales has
408-505: A large fossil ziphiid sample was discovered off the South African coast, confirming the extant ziphiid diversity might just be a remnant of a higher past diversity. After studying numerous fossil skulls off the shore of Iberia and South Africa, researchers discovered the absence of functional maxillary teeth in all South African fossil ziphiids, which is evidence that suction feeding had already developed in several beaked whale lineages during
476-497: A leaping flourish when entering a dive into the pelagic depths. During shallow dives, Cuvier's beaked whales tend to be silent, possibly to avoid predators. Past 200 m (656 ft 2 in), they use echolocation as a hunting aid. Exposure to high-frequency noises from anthropogenic sources, such as Navy sonar or explosives testing, appears to disrupt their behavior and has been linked to multiple mass stranding events, affecting hundreds of beaked whales. Relatively little
544-555: A lesser extent than in males, and does not extend along the posterior. Sex determination in Cuvier’s beaked whales can be on the basis of genetics, observation of the genital area, the presence or absence of erupted teeth in adults, or presence of a calf. Pigmentation patterns can also give indications of gender. Adult males show a contrasted uniform white cape which usually extends to the dorsal fin zone. Individual coloration in adult males varies from dark to almost white. However, more than
612-476: A loose network of social partners with no obvious long-term associations. In contrast to females, some male northern bottlenose whales have been repeatedly recorded together over several years, and possibly form long-term associations. Studies of Blainville's beaked whales have revealed groups usually consist of a number of females, calves, and/or juvenile animals. These whales are assumed to live in "harem-like" groups, where several females and young are accompanied by
680-464: A mixture of crustaceans and cephalopods further down in the bathypelagic zone. Molluscs and octopus only found in these deep-sea regions are also sometimes eaten in the bathypelagic zone. A whale retrieved in Monterey in 2015 was observed to have eaten 200 squids, five fish, and one very deep-sea shrimp. The shrimp and most of the squid were seemingly bathypelagic, and the fish were giant grenadiers off
748-422: A recent study, gouge marks in the sea floor were interpreted to be a result of feeding activities by beaked whales. To understand the hunting and foraging behavior of beaked whales, researchers used sound and orientation recording devices on two species: Cuvier's beaked whale ( Ziphius cavirostris ) and Blainville's beaked whale ( Mesoplodon densirostris ). These whales hunt by echolocation in deep water (where
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#1732895167631816-491: A reported maximum group size of 20 individuals, with the average ranging from 2.5 to 3.5 individuals. Berardius species and Longman's beaked whales ( Indopacetus pacificus ) are found in larger groups of up to 100 individuals. Not much information is available about group composition of beaked whales. Only three species have been studied in any detail: northern bottlenose whales, Blainville's beaked whales, and Baird's beaked whales. Female northern bottlenose whales appear to form
884-588: A single male. Baird's beaked whales are known to occur in multiple male groups, and in large groups consisting of adult animals of both sexes. Arnoux's beaked whales have also been observed to form large pods of up to 47 individuals off the Southern Ocean off the coast of Kemp Land, Antarctica. For many years, most beaked whale species were insulated from anthropogenic impacts because of their remote habitat. However, now several issues of concern include: A major conservation concern for beaked whales (family Ziphiidae)
952-422: A third of adult females show "sharp" pigmentation patterns similar to adult males. Therefore males and females of this pattern cannot be distinguished using pigmentation pattern alone. The majority of adult females show a “soft” cluster of pigmentation features characterized by a brownish coloration and a shorter contrasting white cape. However, similar patterns have been observed in subadult animals of both sexes, so
1020-459: A way that creates a pressure change and sucks their prey, like squid and deep sea fish, directly into their mouths. This species possess throat pleats, somewhat like a rorqual, that allows its throat to expand, presumably aiding in generating a stronger suction force. Like a dolphin, it appears to wear a permanent smile due to its jaw structure. The "melon" of the whale, the bump on top of its head, contains its organ for echolocation. This means
1088-455: Is a name that has at least one systematic part and at least one trivial part, such as a chemical vernacular name . Creating systematic names can be as simple as assigning a prefix or a number to each object (in which case they are a type of numbering scheme ), or as complex as encoding the complete structure of the object in the name. Many systems combine some information about the named object with an extra sequence number to make it into
1156-410: Is a slight depression in the body wall that allows them to hold their pectoral flippers tightly against their bodies for increased streamlining. However, they are not invulnerable to the effects of diving so deep and so often. Cascadia Research shows that the deeper the whales dive, the less often they dive per day, cutting their efforts by at least 40%. The challenges of deep diving are also overcome by
1224-623: Is an odontocete — or toothed whale. Erupted teeth are only present in the adult males. Males also develop two tusks in the right and left corners of their lower jaw. The tusks are possibly used for dueling between the males, though it has not been observed, but may also be used for fighting off threats such as orcas. Adults have many scars along their sides which can be used to identify individuals. The scars are thought, by researchers, to be from battles with males, predators, fights with squid, or cookiecutter sharks , which may score them or punch holes directly in their sides. The frequency of scarring
1292-433: Is higher in males than in females, and tends to increase with age. Their head is short and blunt, with a gradually sloping forehead, a small, poorly defined beak, and a slight melon . All the beaked whales have this general appearance, but Cuvier's beaked whale has a blunt shorter beak that distinguishes Cuvier's beaked whale from others in the family Ziphiidae . In profile, their small, softly defined rostrum gives them
1360-639: Is in use. A higher incidence of strandings has been recorded in noisy seas such as the Mediterranean and multiple mass strandings have occurred following operations by the Spanish Navy in the Canary Islands . In 2019, a review of evidence on the mass strandings of beaked whales linked to naval exercises where sonar was used concluded the effects of mid-frequency active sonar are strongest on Cuvier's beaked whales but vary among individuals or populations, and
1428-500: Is known of the diving and feeding behavior of Cuvier’s beaked whales. There is evidence that Cuvier's beaked whales make highly coordinated foraging dives in small social groups. Such behavior may reduce predation risk; it does not appear to affect the whales' foraging success. It appears that Cuvier's beaked whale prefers diving deep and using a suction process to acquire fish. Diving deep to catch prey, Cuvier's beaked whales open their jaws, expand their throat and move their tongue in
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#17328951676311496-417: Is not always followed, however. Animals have been observed spending more than an hour at or near the surface breathing. Beaked whales are often seen surfacing synchronously, but asynchronous surfacing has also been observed. In March 2014, a study by Cascadia Research revealed that Cuvier's beaked whales were recorded to dive at least 2992 m in depth, a mammalian record. Another study, published in 2020, reported
1564-453: Is robust and cigar-shaped, similar to those of other beaked whales, and can be difficult to distinguish from many of the mesoplodont whales at sea. Males and females tend to be similar in size. The body of adult males is typically a dark gray, with their head being distinctly lighter, or even white. This light coloration extends along the posterior. Females vary in color from dark gray to a reddish-brown. The skin lightens on female's head to
1632-553: Is the most widely distributed of all beaked whales in the family Ziphiidae . It is smaller than most baleen whales —and indeed the larger toothed cetaceans (like orca and sperm whales )—yet it is large among the beaked whales and smaller cetaceans, appearing somewhat like a bigger and stockier bottlenose dolphin . Cuvier's beaked whale is pelagic , generally inhabiting waters deeper than 300 m (1,000 ft), though it has been observed closer to shore on occasion. In these offshore waters, Cuvier's beaked whale executes some of
1700-450: Is the presence of a 'beak', somewhat similar to many dolphins . Other distinctive features include a pair of converging grooves under the throat, and the absence of a notch in the tail fluke. Although Shepherd's beaked whale is an exception, most species have only one or two pairs of teeth, and even these do not erupt in females (other than in the genus Berardius ). Beaked whale species are often sexually dimorphic – one or
1768-518: Is they appear to be vulnerable to modern sonar operations, which arises from recent strandings that temporally and physically coincide with naval sonar exercises. Mid-frequency active sonar (MFAS), developed in the 1950s for submarine detection, is thought to induce panic when experienced by whales at depth. This raises their heart-rates, forcing them to attempt to rapidly ascend toward the surface in search of air. This artificially-induced rapid ascent can cause decompression . Post mortem examinations of
1836-646: The Azores and the Canary Islands , and even off the coasts of Hawaii. Very little is known about the life history of beaked whales. The oldest recorded age is 84 years for a male Baird's beaked whale and 54 years for a female. For all other beaked whale species studied, the oldest recorded age is between 27 and 39 years. Sexual maturity is reached between seven and 15 years of age in Baird's beaked whales and northern bottlenose whales. Gestation varies greatly between species, lasting 17 months for Baird's beaked whales and 12 months for
1904-622: The Chatham Islands . It also frequents such inland bodies of waters as the Gulfs of Mexico and the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas . The Mediterranean population might be genetically distinct from the North Atlantic population(s). Cuvier's beaked whale may be one of the most common and abundant of the beaked whales, with a worldwide population likely well over 100,000. An estimated 80,000 are in
1972-449: The IUCN as "lower risk, conservation dependent": Arnoux's and Baird's beaked whales, and the northern and southern bottlenose whales . The status of the remaining species is unknown, preventing classification. Beaked whales live very short lives in captivity when compared to other cetaceans such as common bottlenose dolphins and short-finned pilot whales, most surviving only a few days out of
2040-650: The IUPAC defines systematic name as "a name composed wholly of specially coined or selected syllables, with or without numerical prefixes; e.g. pentane, oxazole." However, when trivial names have become part of chemical nomenclature , they can be the systematic name of a substance or part of it. Examples for some systematic names that have trivial origins are benzene (cyclohexatriene) or glycerol (trihydroxypropane). There are standardized systematic or semi-systematic names for: Ziphius Cuvier's beaked whale , goose-beaked whale , or ziphius ( Ziphius cavirostris )
2108-676: The benthopelagic ocean bottoms. Cuvier's has a cosmopolitan distribution in deep, offshore waters from the tropics to the cool, temperate seas. In the North Pacific , it occurs as far north as the Aleutians and in the North Atlantic as far north as Atlantic Canada in the west to Shetland in the east. In the Southern Hemisphere , it occurs as far south as Tierra del Fuego , South Africa , southern Australia , New Zealand , and
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2176-576: The Endangered Species Act (ESA). Before 1955, it is estimated that Japanese whalers caught anywhere from 3 to 35 Cuvier's every year. From 1955 until the 1990s, more than 4,000 Cuvier's beaked whales were reportedly caught. The species has reportedly been caught incidentally in fisheries in Colombia , in the Italian swordfish fishery, and in a drift gillnet fishery off California and Oregon on
2244-479: The Latin cavus for "hollow", or "concave", referring to the prenarial basin, a deep hollow in the skull which is now known from only the males of the species. Cuvier believed the skull represented the remains of an extinct species, and chose the genus name Ziphius to reflect another previously-undetermined species mentioned by historical authors. Later, in 1850 , paleontologist and zoologist Paul Gervais found
2312-847: The Memorandum of Understanding Concerning the Conservation of the Manatee and Small Cetaceans of Western Africa and Macaronesia ( Western African Aquatic Mammals MoU ) and the Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and Their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region ( Pacific Cetaceans MoU ). Cuvier's beaked whale seems to have a bad reaction to sonar . Strandings and beachings often occur near naval bases where sonar may have been in use. Cuvier's beaked whale has been observed in Hawaii avoiding diving for food or avoiding an area where sonar
2380-462: The Miocene. Researchers also found fossil ziphiids with robust skulls, signaling that tusks were used for male-male interactions (speculated with extant beaked whales). Beaked whales are deep divers with extreme dive profiles. They regularly dive deeper than 500 m (1,600 ft) to echolocate for food, and these deep dives are often followed by multiple shallower dives less than 500 m. This pattern
2448-632: The U.S. west coast, where between 22 and 44 individuals died each year from 1992 to 1995. Cuvier's beaked whale is covered by the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas ( ASCOBANS ) and the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans in the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area ( ACCOBAMS ). The species is further included in
2516-558: 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. Reports emerged in late 2020 of the possible discovery of a new beaked whale species off the coast of Mexico , the taxonomy of which had not been determined as of December 2020. Beaked whales are moderate in size, ranging from 4 to 13 metres (13 to 43 ft) and weighing from 1 to 15 tonnes (0.98 to 14.76 long tons; 1.1 to 16.5 short tons). Their key distinguishing feature
2584-457: The deepest, longest recorded dives among whales, and extant mammals , at 2,992 m (9,816 ft), for 222 minutes. While likely diving to forage and hunt prey, such as cephalopods , and potentially evade predators (like the aforementioned orca), the frequency and exact reason for these extraordinary dives is unclear. Despite its deepwater habitat, it is one of the most frequently-spotted beaked whales when surfacing. Cuvier's beaked whale
2652-539: The eastern tropical Pacific, nearly 1,900 are off the west coast of the United States (excluding Alaska ), and more than 15,000 are off Hawaii . The population in the Gulf of Mexico is extremely small and appeals have been made to have them made a protected species in this area. As of 2019 this was rejected on the basis that there was insufficient scientific evidence to consider them a distinct population segment (DPS) under
2720-474: The exchange of lung gas with blood, likely minimizing the uptake of nitrogen by tissues. The throats of all beaked whales have a bilaterally paired set of grooves that are associated with their unique feeding mechanism, suction feeding. Instead of capturing prey with their teeth, beaked whales suck it into their oral cavity. Suction is aided by the throat grooves, which stretch and expand to accommodate food. Their tongues can move very freely. By suddenly retracting
2788-399: The ice edges at both the north and south poles, to the equator in all the oceans. Specific ranges vary greatly by species, though beaked whales typically inhabit offshore waters that are at least 300 m deep. Beaked whales are known to congregate in deep waters off the edge of continental shelves, and bottom features, such as seamounts , canyons , escarpments , and oceanic islands, including
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2856-435: The inner ear, gas embolism can cause hemorrhages, leading to disorientation or vestibular dysfunction. Breath-holding divers, like beaked whales, can develop decompression-related problems (the "bends") when they return to the surface after deep dives. This is a possible hypothesis for the mass strandings of pelagic beaked whales associated with sonar-related activities. To illustrate, a diving beaked whale may be surfacing from
2924-434: The majority of their prey is located) between about 200 and 1,885 m (656 and 6,184 ft) and usually catch about 30 prey per dive. Cuvier's beaked whales must forage on average at 1,070 m (3,510 ft) for 58 minutes and Blainville's beaked whales typically forage at 835 m (2,740 ft) deep for an average of 47 minutes. The family Ziphiidae is one of the most widespread families of cetaceans, ranging from
2992-405: The male's teeth are actually a secondary sexual characteristic , similar to the antlers of male deer . Each species' teeth have a characteristically unique shape. In some cases, these teeth even hinder feeding; in the strap-toothed whale , for example, the teeth curve over the upper jaw, effectively limiting the gape to a few centimeters. Females are presumed to select mates based on the shape of
3060-421: The most damage. In 2019, a review of evidence on the mass strandings of beaked whale linked to naval exercises where sonar was used was published. It concluded that the effects of mid-frequency active sonar are strongest on Cuvier's beaked whales but vary among individuals or populations, and the strength of their response may depend on whether the individuals had prior exposure to sonar. The report considered that
3128-479: The most plausible explanation of the symptoms of decompression sickness such as gas embolism found in stranded whales to be the whales' response to sonar. It noted that no more mass strandings had occurred in the Canary Islands once naval exercises where sonar was used were banned there, and recommended that the ban be extended to other areas where mass strandings continue to occur. Four species are classified by
3196-605: The nickname or alternative name of goose-beaked whale. Satellite -linked tags have been used to track and study whale movement , with associated data suggesting that Cuvier's beaked whale follows a stereotypical dive pattern, often to a depth exceeding 800 m (2,624 ft 8 in). These dives, likely to be hunting expeditions, may last from 15 to 30 minutes, though sometimes considerably longer, before re-ascending for oxygen replenishment. They typically only surface for air fleetingly (2 to 8 min), perhaps in an effort to evade orcas or great white sharks ; however, infrequently,
3264-610: The northern bottlenose whale. No data is available on their reproductive rates. Determining group size for beaked whales is difficult, due to their inconspicuous surfacing behavior. Groups of beaked whales, defined as all individuals found in the same location at the same time, have been reported as ranging from one to 100 individuals. Nevertheless, some populations' group size has been estimated from repeated observations. For example, northern and southern bottlenose whales ( H. ampullatus and H. planifrons ), Cuvier's beaked whales, and Blainville's beaked whales ( Mesoplodon densirostris ) have
3332-414: The ocean's surface, becoming the deepest documented dive for any mammal. A study in 2020 reported Cuvier's beaked whale making a dive that lasted 222 minutes, the longest dive ever documented for any mammal. Supervising scientist Nicola Hodgkins noted that "the recorded dive-time of more than three hours is likely not typical, and instead the result of an individual pushed to its absolute limits". Like
3400-620: The ocean. The longest time period for a beaked whale living in captivity was 25 days. Alexander and Nicholas, two male beaked whales—their species unknown, though they were thought to be either Hubbs' beaked whale or Blainville's beaked whale —had become stranded in California on 24 August 1989. They were taken to Marine World California . Both of the whales would die of pneumonia ; Nicholas died on 8 September and Alexander died 10 days later. A handful of other beaked whales have been briefly kept in captivity. A juvenile female Cuvier's beaked whale
3468-469: The other sex is significantly larger. The adult males often possess a large bulging forehead, some to an extreme feature. However, aside from dentition and size, very few morphological differences exist between male and female beaked whales. Individual species are very difficult to identify in the wild, since body form varies little from one species to another. The observer must rely on often subtle differences in size, color, forehead shape, and beak length. In
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#17328951676313536-535: The potential to cause hemorrhaging or to disorient the animal, eventually leading to a stranding. Current research reveals two species of beaked whales are most affected by sonar: Cuvier's ( Z. cavirostris ) and Blainville's ( M. densirostris ) beaked whales. These animals have been reported as stranding in correlation with military exercises in Greece, the Bahamas, Madeira, and the Canary Islands. The livers of these animals had
3604-459: The prenarial basin. This feature is now known to be unique to male Z. cavirostrus . French naturalist and zoologist Georges Cuvier first described the species in Recherches sur les ossements fossiles ("Research on Fossil Bones", 1823 ) based on a skull collected on the Mediterranean coast of France at Fos-sur-mer , Bouches-du-Rhône , in 1804 . He named it Ziphius cavirostris from
3672-664: The second-largest family of cetaceans (after the dolphins ). They were one of the first groups to diverge from the ancestral lineage. The earliest known beaked whale fossils date to the Miocene , about 15 million years ago. As many as 26 genera antedate humans. These include ancestors of giant beaked whales ( Berardius ), such as Microberardius , and ancestors of Cuvier's beaked whale ( Ziphius ); they had many relatives, such as Caviziphius , Archaeoziphius , and Izikoziphius . They were probably preyed upon by predatory whales and sharks , including Otodus megalodon . Recently,
3740-668: The similarly deep-diving sperm whales , it is possible that Cuvier's beaked whales have evolved modifications to their cardiovascular , metabolic , nervous and respiratory systems , among other adaptations, that enable them to make deep dives beyond their predicted aerobic capacity. Considering the species' ability to dive to almost 10,000 ft (3,000 m), and remain underwater for over two hours, at times, there are suggestions that they may likely be able to collapse or flatten their rib cage , and possibly their heart, lungs or other organs, while simultaneously decreasing their heart rate while at-depth. They have been observed making
3808-436: The skull to be identical to that of a stranded (beached) whale carcass he had just examined. Cuvier's beaked whale is one of 22 species in the family Ziphiidae , and the only extant member of the genus Ziphius , with the other member being the extinct Ziphius compressus . Uniquely, no other species of ziphiid cetacean develops such dense rostral ossification of its prenarial basin. The body of Cuvier's beaked whale
3876-463: The skull, the expansion of the premaxillary process can be a key feature to identification. The blubber of these whales is almost entirely (94%) composed of wax ester , a unique characteristic of this family. Beaked whales are unique among toothed whales in that most species have only one pair of teeth. The teeth are tusk-like, but are only visible in males, which are presumed to use these teeth in combat for females for reproductive rights. In females,
3944-428: The species will spend extended periods at the surface (30 to 310 min). Deep dives are followed by several shorter, shallower dives. Diving behavior shows little diel variation . Cuvier's beaked whale holds the records for both the deepest and the longest dives ever documented for any mammal; in 2014, scientists reported that Cuvier's beaked whale, off the coast of California, dove to 9,816 ft (2,992 m) below
4012-566: The stomachs of the whales found in the Pacific Ocean to those found in the Mediterranean found that the Mediterranean whales predominantly ate squid from a 1,000 to 2,000-foot level, whereas in the Pacific, the whales found in Monterey, California in 2015, Taiwan in 1995, Alaska, and Baja California had access to much deeper water. As well as catching prey in the benthopelagic zone, they consumed
4080-414: The stranded whales in concurrence with naval exercises have reported the presence of hemorrhaging near the ears or gas and fat emboli, which could have a deleterious impact on beaked whales that is analogous to decompression sickness in humans. Gas and fat emboli have been shown to cause nervous and cardiovascular system dysfunction, respiratory distress, pain, and disorientation in both humans and animals. In
4148-421: The strength of the whales' response may depend on whether the individuals had prior exposure to sonar. The report considered the most plausible explanation of the symptoms of decompression sickness such as gas embolism found in stranded whales to be the whales' response to sonar. It noted no more mass strandings had occurred in the Canary Islands once naval exercises using sonar were banned there, and recommended
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#17328951676314216-477: The teeth do not develop and remain hidden in the gum tissues. In December 2008, researchers from the Marine Mammal Institute at Oregon State University completed a DNA tree of 13 of 15 known species of Mesoplodon beaked whales (excluding the spade-toothed whale , which was then only known from a skeletal specimen and a few stranded specimens). Among the results of this study was the conclusion that
4284-466: The teeth, because the different species are otherwise quite similar in appearance. The social structure is not well known, but sightings of single males accompanying multiple females suggest a polygynous mating system, which would considerably limit the number of males a female can choose. Beaked whales comprise at least 22 species. Several species have been described only in the last two decades. Six genera have been identified. The beaked whales are
4352-403: The tongue and distending the gular (throat) floor, pressure immediately drops within the mouth, sucking the prey in with the water. Dietary information is available from stomach contents analyses of stranded beaked whales and from whaling operations. Their preferred diet is primarily deep-water squid, but also benthic and benthopelagic fish and some crustaceans, mostly taken near the sea floor. In
4420-404: The unique diving physiology of beaked whales. Oxygen storage during dives is mostly achieved by blood hemoglobin and muscle myoglobin. While the whale is diving, its heart rate slows and blood flow changes. This physiological dive response ensures oxygen-sensitive tissues maintain a supply of oxygen, while those tissues tolerant to hypoxia receive less blood flow. Additionally, lung collapse obviates
4488-796: The whale can use sound waves to locate potential sources of food, which is helpful in the deep sea, where there is no sunlight. This deep diving with echolocation seems to help Cuvier's beaked whales avoid competition for their prey. Scientists have used beached specimens to study the whale's eating habits via stomach analysis. Examining Pacific Ocean whales, they found that cephalopods made up 98.0% (by number) and 87.7% (by mass) of Cuvier's beaked whale diet. Among these were at least 37 varieties of squid, of many different sizes, with both mesopelagic and bathypelagic squid. Prey of Cuvier’s beaked whales include Cranchiidae , Onychoteuthidae , Brachioteuthidae , Enoploteuthidae , Octopoteuthidae , and Histioteuthidae , as well as deep-sea fish. Comparing
4556-526: Was found stranded on a kelp bed off of Santa Catalina Island on 23 February 1956. She was taken to Marineland of the Pacific , where she was named Martha Washington. On 16 June 1969, a Cuvier's beaked whale live stranded in St. Augustine. The whale, thought to be a male, was then transported to Marineland of Florida . It is unknown what happened to the whale, but it was still alive on 18 June 1969. Systematic name A semisystematic name or semitrivial name
4624-467: Was named Ziphius cavirostris by Georges Cuvier based on a skull fragment which he believed to be a fossil from an extinct species. He reused the genus name Ziphius from an undetermined species mentioned by historical sources. The species name, cavirostris , comes from the Latin cavus ("hollow") and rostrum ("beak"), and refers to the bony cavity of the nares (nasal bones), now known as
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