Scientific Name: Delphinapterus leucas. Type: Mammals. Diet: Carnivore. Group Name: Pod. Size: 13 to 20 feet. Weight: 1 to 1. Size relative to a bus:. Near threatened. Least Concern Extinct. Current Population Trend: Unknown. This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram at natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo. Share Tweet Email. Go Further. They are mainly solitary animals but can be found traveling in small pods of 2 to 4 other dwarf sperm whales.
The dwarf sperm whale is a part of the Kogiidae family of 3 species that also include the pygmy sperm whale in the sperm whale superfamily. The pygmy sperm whale is close in size and appearance to the dwarf sperm whale, averaging 9 to 11 feet in length and weighing around lbs. The regular sperm whale is much, much larger than both the dwarf sperm whale and the pygmy sperm whale.
The sperm whale is the 3 rd largest whale, measuring about 40 feet in length and weigh between 77, and , lbs. An adult sperm whale has a four-chambered heart that itself weighs about lbs. You may be asking, if the dwarf sperm whale, pygmy sperm whale, and regular sperm whale are all so different from each other, what makes them part of the same superfamily? The etymology of the sperm whale comes from the spermaceti organ found in its head and present in each of the three species. During whale harvests, this spermaceti organ was discovered to contain a white liquid that whalers mistook for the sperm of the whale.
Below we will discuss ten whale species, both Baleen and toothed, starting from largest to smallest. The Blue Whale is not only the largest whale species, but the largest mammal on Earth.
Therefore, to answer the earlier question, no creature on this planet is larger than the Blue Whale! Weighing at about tons, the Blue Whale can grow to be about 98 feet 30 meters.
That is equivalent to the length of three school buses lined up! Due to their enormous size, if you are left wondering what is the largest thing a whale can swallow, the answer is- a grapefruit! Their throat is about the size of plate, which is why they feed on plankton and small fish. Image source.
The Fin Whale is next in line as the second largest whale species in the world. Life Cycle: Dwarf sperm whales become sexually mature at 2.
Gestation is estimated to be months. The calving season lasts four to five months. Pregnancy lasts for 9 to 11 months. The newborn calf is about one meter long. Males reach puberty at 2. In the Southern Hemisphere, births may occur in summer months December-March.
Newborn calves are about 3. Calves are probably weaned after a year when they are larger than 5 feet 1. Females may give birth to calves in consecutive years. The estimated lifespan for this species may be up to 22 years. Behavior: Dwarf sperm whales are usually seen in groups of no more than ten whales. Three kinds of pods are seen: one consisting of females with calves, one of immature whales, and one of adults of both sexes unaccompanied by calves. Dwarf sperm whales are rarely active or aerial at the surface, and it is very uncommon for them to approach boats.
Usually they are seen slowly swimming 3 knots or "logging" floating motionless at the surface with only a small portion of their body visible. Before diving, they will slowly roll or sink and disappear from view without displaying their flukes. They are usually only detected in calm seas and low wind speeds with little or no swells.
There is inconclusive evidence that dwarf sperm whales are capable of diving to at least 1, feet m to reach their food. They also probably use echolocation to search for prey. Based on the structure of their lower jaw and analysis of stomach contents, they probably feed on or near to the ocean bottom. Habitat: Dwarf sperm whales prefer warm tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters worldwide.
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