Ziphius cavirostris, Cuvier's Beaked Whale [+]

Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Mammalia Order Cetacea Family Hyperoodontidae Genus Ziphius species: Ziphius cavirostris [+ITIS +WoRMS]

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Description & Behavior

Cuvier's beaked whales, Ziphius cavirostris (G. Cuvier, 1823), aka goose-beaked whales, get their genus name from the Greek word xiphos, which means "sword;" the species name comes from the Latin words cavus and rostrum which mean "hollow" and "beak" respectively. The name refers to the indentation found on the head just in front of the blowhole. These whales measure 5-7 m in length and weigh 2,500 kg.

Cuvier's beaked whales have a stout body and small head for their size that slopes down to a short beak and curved mouth, giving the Cuvier's beaked whale its characteristic "grin." They have small flippers and a curved dorsal fin that measures up to 38 cm high. The flippers, like other beaked whales, fold into a slight depression on the lower side of the body, streamlining them for faster swimming. The color of these whales varies, but generally tends to be light to dark brown or gray as adults. Older males tend to have a white head. The ventral side is usually dark brown or dark gray. Patterns of lighter colored patches are also present on the bodies of adults. Adult males also have 2 large teeth about 5 cm long protruding from the lower jaw that are thought to be used during competition for females. Female teeth do not protrude and are smaller and more pointed. The lower jaw of the Cuvier's beaked whale extends beyond the upper jaw, and similar to other beaked whales, there are 2 v-shaped throat grooves.

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 Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris is one of the most common whales in its family and is found in all temperate and tropical seas, commonly in deep water of the coasts of Japan, Hawaii, and New Zealand. No migration patterns are known.

» GBIF occurrence data in Google Earth [Tips] | Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) (World Distribution) [about]

Feeding Behavior (Ecology)

Examinations of the stomach contents of the Cuvier's beaked whale have shown that this whale feeds on squid and deep sea fishes.

Life History

Cuvier's beaked whale females reach sexual maturity at 5.8 m in length, males at 5.5 m. Newborn calves measure 2-3 m at birth and weigh about 270 kg. They live up to at least 60 years.

Conservation Status/Additional Comments

Very little data is available about the Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris. They are found stranded more often than any other species of beaked whales, and 2 mass strandings have been reported, one in the Galápagos and the other in Puerto Rico. In other regions, Cuvier's beaked whales have been found stranded individually. Although these whales have been hunted in the past, so few were caught that the population was not disturbed. The greatest threat to the Cuvier's beaked whale is thought to be acoustic trauma resulting in strandings related to human-activated sonar in the Caribbean, Azores Islands, and in the Gulf of California.