The Strap-Toothed Whale

The Sierra Handbook of Whales and Dolphins

The Strap-Toothed Whale, or Mesoplodon layardii is slightly more than 6 meters in length. They can grow from 1 to 3 tons. They are dark purplish brown or dark gray on their back and have shaded white areas on their belly, beak, chin, tail and around their eyes. They have a strap-shaped pair of teeth that emerge from the mandible, found only in males. They are known to strand themselves on the benches of New Zealand during the summer, but they strand themselves most on the shores around Australia and Tasmania. The Strap-toothed Whale can be found in the southern hemisphere, from South Africa, Uraguay, the Falkland Islands, Tierra del Fuego, New Zealand, southeastern Australia, and Tasmania. It is limited to the northern region at about 30 degress South, and there is no reason to think its range extends to Antarctic waters.

Andrea Vanessa & Erica @ the Advanced Technologies Academy