Cuvier's beaked whale
Cuvier's beaked whale | |
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Size compared to an average human | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Artiodactyla |
Infraorder: | Cetacea |
Family: | Ziphiidae |
Genus: | Ziphius Cuvier, 1823 [4] |
Species: | Z. cavirostris
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Binomial name | |
Ziphius cavirostris | |
Range of Cuvier's beaked whale | |
Synonyms[5][6] | |
Genus synonymy
Species synonymy
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The Cuvier's beaked whale, goose-beaked whale, or ziphius (Ziphius cavirostris) is the most widely distributed of all
Cuvier's beaked whale was named Ziphius cavirostris by Georges Cuvier based on a skull fragment which he believed to be a fossil from an extinct species.[10] He reused the genus name Ziphius from an undetermined species mentioned by historical sources.[11] 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 the prenarial basin. This feature is now known to be unique to male Z. cavirostrus.[12][10]
Taxonomy
French
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.[13] Later, in 1850, paleontologist and zoologist Paul Gervais found the skull to be identical to that of a stranded (beached) whale carcass he had just examined.[14]
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.[15][16] Uniquely, no other species of ziphiid cetacean develops such dense rostral ossification of its prenarial basin.[10]
Description
The body of Cuvier's beaked whale is robust and cigar-shaped, similar to those of other beaked whales, and can be difficult to distinguish from many of the
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 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 a "soft" pigmentation pattern alone is insufficient evidence to conclude that an animal is female.[19]
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.[20]
Cuvier's beaked whale is an
Their head is short and blunt, with a gradually sloping forehead, a small, poorly defined beak, and a slight
Ecology
Diving
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, 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.[23]
Cuvier's beaked whale holds the records for both the deepest and the longest dives ever documented for any mammal;[24] in 2014, scientists reported that a Cuvier's beaked whale, off the coast of California, dove to 9,816 ft (2,992 m) below the ocean's surface, becoming the deepest documented dive for any mammal.[8][25][26] A study in 2020 reported a Cuvier's beaked whale making a dive that lasted 222 minutes, the longest dive ever documented for any mammal.[9][27] 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".[27]
Like 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.[28][29] 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.[30] They have been observed making 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.[23] 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.[10][27]
Food and foraging
Relatively little 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.[31][32]
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 a way that creates a pressure change and sucks their prey, like squid and deep sea fish, directly into their mouths.[33] This species possess throat pleats, somewhat like a rorqual, that allows its throat to expand, presumably aiding in generating a stronger suction force.[34] Like a dolphin, it appears to wear a permanent smile due to its jaw structure.[3]
The "melon" of the whale, the bump on top of its head, contains its organ for echolocation.[35][36] This means 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.
Comparing 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
Range and habitat
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 the Chatham Islands. It also frequents such inland bodies of waters as the Gulfs of Mexico and the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas.[40] The Mediterranean population might be genetically distinct from the North Atlantic population(s).[41]
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 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.[2] 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.[42] As of 2019[update] this was rejected on the basis that there was insufficient scientific evidence to consider them a distinct population segment (DPS) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).[43]
Interactions with humans
Whaling and fishing
Before 1955, it is estimated that
Sonar and military maneuvers
Cuvier's beaked whale seems to have a bad reaction to
See also
References
- ^ "Ziphius cavirostris Cuvier 1824 (Cuvier's beaked whale)". PBDB.
- ^ . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ a b c "Cuvier's Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris)". NOAA Fisheries. December 29, 2021.
- ^ a b Perrin WF, ed. (2014). "Ziphius Cuvier, 1823". World Cetacea Database. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ^ "Ziphius". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ "Ziphius cavirostris". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ISBN 0-7876-5362-4.
- ^ PMID 24670984.
- ^ S2CID 221886321.
- ^ a b c d e Allen, B. M.; Brownell, R. L.; Mead, J. G. (2011). "Species review of Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris (report SC/63/SM17)" (PDF). Scientific Committee Documents. International Whaling Commission. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- ^ Cuvier, Georges (1823). Recherches sur les ossemens fossiles (in French). Vol. 5 (2nd ed.). Paris. pp. 350–2, fig. 7. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- ^ a b Omura, Hideo (1972). "An osteological study of the Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris, in the northwest Pacific" (PDF). The Scientific Reports of the Whales Research Institute. 24: 1–34.
- ^ a b Cuvier, Georges (1823). Recherches sur les ossemens fossiles (in French). Vol. 5 (2nd ed.). Paris. pp. 350–2, fig. 7. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- S2CID 131076630.
- ISBN 978-0-12-804381-3. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- ^ "Fossilworks Paleobiology Database".
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ ISBN 978-0-12-373553-9.
- ^ PMID 29692471.
- PMID 29692471.
- ^ "Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit | Cuvier's beaked whale". www.crru.org.uk. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
- S2CID 84751724. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
- ^ "Cuvier's Beaked Whale". The Australian Museum. April 21, 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ PMID 30891284.
- ^ Garcia de Jesus, Erin (23 September 2020). "A beaked whale's nearly four-hour-long dive sets a new record". Science News.
- ^ Lee, Jane J. (2014-03-26). "Elusive Whales Set New Record for Depth and Length of Dives Among Mammals". National Geographic. Archived from the original on 2014-03-29.
- ^ Dunham, Will (March 26, 2014). "How low can you go? This whale is the champion of deep diving". Reuters – via in.reuters.com.
- ^ a b c McGrath, Matt (24 September 2020). "Mysterious beaked whale smashes mammal diving record". BBC News.
- S2CID 237254422. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- PMID 29020021.
- ^ Palmer, Jane (15 January 2015). "Secrets of animals that dive deep into the ocean" (PDF). maxineu.bio. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- PMID 33402065.
- PMID 32029750.
- ^ "A Deep Dive Into an Undersea Mystery: Beaked Whales". Headwaters Magazine. 18 May 2019. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ "Sea Wonder: Cuvier's Beaked Whale". National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- PMID 16018493. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- S2CID 26098966. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ S2CID 83912214. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ ISSN 0171-8630.
- OCLC 14271801.
- ISBN 0375411410.
- ^ D. Holcer D.. Fortuna M.C.. Mackelworth C. P.. 2014. Status and Conservation of Cetaceans in the Adriatic Sea (pdf). United Nations Environment Programme. Mediterranean Action Plan. Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas. Retrieved on September 04, 2017
- ^ Valdivia, Abel (October 11, 2017). "PETITION TO LIST THE GULF OF MEXICO CUVIER'S BEAKED WHALE (ZIPHIUS CAVIROSTRIS) AS ENDANGERED OR THREATENED UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT" (PDF). Center for Biological Diversity. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife; 90-Day Finding on a Petition To List the Cuvier's Beaked Whale in the Gulf of Mexico as Threatened or Endangered Under the Endangered Species Act". Federal Register. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. March 25, 2019. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ a b Taylor, B. L.; Baird, R.; Barlow, J.; Dawson, S. M.; et al. (2008). "Ziphius cavirostris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- ^ "Species". Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).
- ^ "Lethal Sounds: The use of military sonar poses a deadly threat to whales and other marine mammals". NRDC. June 2006. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- .
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- ^ Batchelor, Tom (30 January 2019). "Scientists demand military sonar ban to end mass whale strandings". The Independent.
Further reading
- Baird, Robin W. (27 November 2017). "Cuvier's Beaked Whale: Ziphius cavirostris". In Wursig, Bernd; Thewissen, J. G. M. 'Hans'; Kovacs, Kit M. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals (Third ed.). Academic Press. pp. 234–237. ISBN 978-0-12-804381-3. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- Carwardine, Mark; Camm, Martin (2000). Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises. London: Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 0-7513-2781-6.
- Ellis, Richard; Mead, James G. (2017). "Cuvier's Beaked Whale (Goosebeak Whale)". Beaked Whales: A Complete Guide to Their Biology and Conservation. JHU Press. pp. 105–109. ISBN 978-1-4214-2183-4.
- Oseid, Kelsey (2018). Whales : an illustrated celebration (First ed.). California: Ten Speed Press. ISBN 9780399581830.
- "Cuvier's Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris)". NOAA Fisheries. December 29, 2021.
- "Cuvier's beaked whale". ORCA. 6 October 2023.
- "Cuvier's beaked whale". Whale & Dolphin Conservation USA.
External links
- Media related to Ziphius cavirostris at Wikimedia Commons
- Nelson, Victoria (May 17, 2017). "Cuvier's Beaked Whale". The Beaked Whale Resource.
- "Cuvier's Beaked Whale, Ziphius cavirostris G Cuvier, 1823 Specimen MNZ MM002092, Part of Marine Mammals collection, collected Cape Kidnappers, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, 14 October 1988". Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.