Mesoplodon peruvianus
Pygmy Beaked Whale [+]
Description & Behavior
The pygmy beaked whale, Mesoplodon peruvianus (Reyes, Mead and Van Waerebeek, 1991), also known as the lesser or Peruvian beaked whale, is one of the latest discovered and smallest members of the genus Mesoplodon, maximum known length is only 3.9 m with males thought to be slightly larger than females. Adult males have apparently scarred black and white bodies while those which are smaller and uniformly brown to dark gray above and lighter below, with relatively little scarring, are thought to be females and juveniles. Pygmy beaked whales have moderately long beaks, and low triangular dorsal fins with slightly falcate (curved) or straight trailing edges with small, triangular, wide-based dorsal fins that are shaped like those of harbor porpoises. The pygmy beaked whale's most distinctive characteristic are their teeth which are extremely small and egg-shaped in cross section. Most groups sighted so far have been of 2-4 animals. The behavior of these animals appears to be similar to that of other species of mesplodonts.
Beaked Whales (Family Hyperoodontidae)
These medium-sized to moderately large whales have a single pair of grooves on the throat. There is a distinct snout, and often the few teeth present are visible only in adult males. They have a single nostril or blowhole. Beaked whales are generally slender with a small dorsal fin placed towards the rear on the back. The rear edge of the flukes usually lacks a well-defined notch. These whales are deep divers and are rarely seen. Many species are known only from a few specimens, and little is known about the life history and biology of the group. All members of this family, except Blainville's beaked whale, are difficult to distinguish from each other, and study by museum experts is usually necessary for identification.
World Range & Habitat
The pygmy beaked whale, Mesoplodon peruvianus, is known only from a handful of specimens and several sightings from the eastern tropical Pacific and Gulf of California, as well as off Peru and possibly Chile. There is a single record of a stranding in New Zealand, suggesting that this species may have a more extensive distribution.
Feeding Behavior (Ecology)
Pygmy beaked whales feed on small midwater fishes, squid, and shrimp.
Life History
Pygmy beaked whales, Mesoplodon peruvianus, at birth, are about 1.6 m long. No other reproductive information is currently know though they are expected to be similar to other mesplodonts.
Conservation Status/Additional Comments
Little is known of the pygmy beaked whale's status or threats.
References & Further Research
BioOne ~ CITES ~ Discover Life ~ GBIF ~ Google Scholar ~ ITIS ~ IUCN RedList ~ MarineBio Network ~ NCBI ~ SCIRIS ~ SIRIS ~ Tree of Life Web Project ~ Wikipedia
OBIS-SEAMAP - Species Profiles
Center for Cetacean Research and Conservation (CCRC) - Beaked whales (+ videos)
DALEBOUT, M. L. 2002. Species identity, genetic diversity, and molecular systematic relationships among the Ziphiidae (beaked whales). Ph.D. dissertation, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
PITMAN, R. L. 2002. Mesoplodont whales Mesoplodon spp. Pp. 738-742 in W. F. Perrin, B. Würsig and J. G. M. Thewissen, eds. Encyclopedia of marine mammals. Academic Press.
PITMAN, R. L., A. AGUAYO-L., AND J. URBAN-R. 1987. Observations of an unidentified beaked whale (Mesoplodon sp.) in the eastern tropical Pacific. Marine Mammal Science 3:345-352.
PITMAN, R. L., AND M. S. LYNN. 2001. Biological observations of an unidentified mesoplodont whale in the eastern tropical Pacific and probable identity Mesoplodon peruvianus. Marine Mammal Science 17:648-657.
REYES, J. C., J. G. MEAD, AND K. VAN WAEREBEEK. 1991. A new species of beaked whale Mesoplodon peruvianus sp. n. (Cetacea Ziphiidae) from Peru. Marine Mammal Science 7:1-24.
G. Paolo Sanino, José L. Yáñez, and Koen Van Waerebeek, 2007, A first confirmed specimen record in Chile, and sightings attributed to the lesser beaked whale Mesoplodon peruvianus Reyes, Mead and Van Waerebeek, 1991, Boletin del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Chile, 56: 89-96.
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