Dwarf sperm whale

The dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima, formerly Kogia simus) is one of three extant species in the sperm whale family. They are not often sighted at sea, and most extant information comes from the study of stranded carcasses.

Taxonomy

Today, the dwarf sperm whale is generally classified as one of two species, along with the pygmy sperm whale, in the family Kogiidae and genus Kogia. It was not until 1966 that the two species were regarded as separate. Most taxonomists regard the family Kogiidae as belonging to the superfamily Physeteroidea, though some consider this taxon to be a subfamily (Kogiinae) of the family Physeteridae.

Description

The dwarf sperm whale is the smallest species commonly known as a whale. It grows up to 2.7 m (8.9 ft) in length and 250 kilograms (550 lb) in weight— making it smaller than the bigger species of dolphin. Specimens often make slow, deliberate movements with little splash or blow and usually lie motionless when at the sea's surface. Consequently, they are usually observed only in very calm seas (Beaufort 0-1).

Sperm whale

The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), or cachalot, is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator. It is the only living member of genus Physeter, and one of three extant species in the sperm whale family, along with the pygmy sperm whale and dwarf sperm whale of the genus Kogia.

Mature males average 16 metres (52 ft) in length but some may reach 20.5 metres (67 ft), with the head representing up to one-third of the animal's length. The sperm whale feeds primarily on squid. Plunging to 2,250 metres (7,382 ft) for prey, it is the second deepest diving mammal, following only the Cuvier's beaked whale. The sperm whale's clicking vocalization, a form of echolocation and communication, may be as loud as 230 decibels (re 1 µPa at 1 m) underwater. It has the largest brain of any animal on Earth, more than five times heavier than a human's. Sperm whales can live for more than 60 years.

The sperm whale can be found anywhere in the open ocean. Females and young males live together in groups while mature males live solitary lives outside of the mating season. The females cooperate to protect and nurse their young. Females give birth every four to twenty years, and care for the calves for more than a decade. A mature sperm whale has few natural predators. Calves and weakened adults are taken by pods of orcas.