Mesoplodon layardii

• Main Authors: Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Lynx Edicions 2014
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Chordata; Mammalia; Cetacea; Hyperoodontidae; Mesoplodon; Mesoplodon layardii; Pacific; Indian; Baleine; The Throat; The Beak; Antarc*; Antarctica; toothed whale; toothed whales
• Online Access: https://zenodo.org/record/6608567; https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6608567

13. Strap-toothed Whale Mesoplodon layardii French: Baleine-a-bec de Layard / German: Layard-Zweizahnwal / Spanish: Zifio de Layard Other common names: Layard’s Beaked Whale, Strap-toothed Beaked Whale Taxonomy. Ziphius layardii Gray, 1865, type locality not given, probably South Africa. This species is monotypic. Distribution. Occurs from the temperate waters of S Atlantic, Indian, and S Pacific oceans to the waters of Antarctica. A record from Burma (= Myanmar) is thought to represent a vagrant individual. Descriptive notes. Total length 550-625 cm; weight 1000-1300 kg. Female Strap-toothed Whales are c¢.5% larger than males. Body is spindle-shaped, with greatest girth around its midpoint. Flukes are wide in relation to body length, and tailstock is compressed laterally. Dorsal fin is small and set approximately two-thirds the distance between tip of the beak and end ofthe tail. Straptoothed Whales are a mix of black and yellowish-gray or white. Rostrum and lower jaw form a long, distinct beak, and there are two grooves on the throat. Adult males have a single tusk on each side of the lowerjaw; these tusks are positioned approximately halfway along the jaw line. Tusks are approximately triangular in maturing males, but in fully adult males, they can be up to 30 cm long and cross over the top of the upper jaw, apparently limiting the extent to which individuals can open their jaws, but this does not seem to interfere with feeding. Habitat. Primarily waters greater than 200 m deep. As with other species of Mesoplodon, Strap-toothed Whales may be more common in areas of complex seabed topography, but thisstill has to be confirmed. Food and Feeding. Strap-toothed Whales consume a wide variety of species of deepwater squid. Although tusks of adult males appearto limit the extent to which they can open their jaws, this does not appear to affect feeding ability. In common with other species of beaked whales, Strap-toothed Whales likely forage at depths greater than 500 m for much of their lives. Breeding. Female ...