True's Beaked Whale

The Sierra Handbook of Whales and Dolphins

---

---

The True's Beaked Whale or Mesoplodon mirus, is little known and has yet to been positively identified. It was discovered in 1913, by Frederick True, who named it mirrus, meaning "wonderful." It may be distinguished by the male's two small teeth at the tip of the lower jaw. The female's teeth are hidden beneath the gums. The females and juvenile species are almost unidentifiable at sea. There are two types of this species, one that lives in the North Atlantic and the other in parts of the southern hemisphere. Only about 40 specimens have been discovered, the majority of these who where the northern variety. An adult can grow to be between 4.9 and 5.3 meters long and may weigh anywhere from 1 to 1.5 tons. Calves are born 2.3 meters long, and weighing 300 pounds. True's beaked whale may be identified by it's slightly bulging forehead, an indentation at the blowhole, pale rear third of the body, dark patches around the eyes, a medium sized beak, and a dark gray or blue gray coloring on the back. Little is known about the behaivor, status, population or threats of True's beaked whale. The scratches and scars on the skin may indicate fighting between males and it is assumed that they are very deep divers. Their diet consists of squid and octopus which is caught around their native habitat of the open sea, away from the shoreline.

Andrea Vanessa & Erica @ the Advanced Technologies Academy