On the occurrence of the Arnoux's beaked whale ( Berardius arnuxii ) in Brazil

• Published in: Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom
• Main Authors: Siciliano, Salvatore, de Oliveira Santos, Marcos César
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2003
• Subjects: Aquatic Science; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Pacific; Indian; New Zealand; Argentina; Antarc*
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315403007999h; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0025315403007999

A specimen of Arnoux's beaked whale was recorded from the coast of Brazil on 4 August 1993. The specimen was identified from the skeleton in 1994. Arnoux's beaked whales ( Berardius arnuxii ) are known to have a circumpolar distribution in the Southern Hemisphere, from the Antarctic continent and ice edge (78°S) north to about 35°S in the southern Pacific, southern Atlantic, and Indian Ocean. Few sighting and stranding records are known. Its distribution in deep and cold waters, mainly far from the coast and in higher latitudes, is probably the main reason preventing the collection of more information on the biology of this species. It is still considered as ‘insufficiently known’ by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Sighting records are more common in Antarctic waters, where some individuals sometimes become trapped in ice holes, and in the South Pacific. Strandings are relatively rare. About 30 strandings were reported around New Zealand, and single ones occurred in southern Australia, in South Africa, Argentina and the Falkland Islands. The majority of records occurred south of the latitude 40°S (Ross, 1984).