Southern bottlenose whale
Hyperoodon planifrons
By: Dagmar Fertl
Edited by: Poul Vendel
The name:
The word Hyperoodon originates from the Greek word hyper meaning
"above" and odon for "tooth". This whale is also named
after the Latin word planus meaning "level" and frans meaning "brow"
or frons meaning "front".
The look:
This whale has a long tube-like snout that is distinct from the melon. It
has throat grooves, a small dorsal fin, small blunt flippers, and flukes with no
notch. Light brown to dull yellow in colour, these large whales can be covered
with faint scars and scratches. The adult males have a visible single pair of
conical teeth at the tip of the lower jaw.
The size:
The maximum size of a Southern Bottlenose whale is 7.8 m.
Location in Africa:
The Southern Bottlenose whale is known from the waters of South Africa.
Interesting facts:
The Southern Bottlenose whale is known for deep diving and can remain below for over an hour.
They are thought to feed mainly on squid. Pods of less than ten are most common.
Human impacts:
Human impacts in African waters are unknown.
Status:
Insufficiently known.
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