Hubbs' Beaked Whale
Encyclopedia
Hubbs' beaked whale was initially thought to be an Andrews' beaked whale
when discovered by ichthyologist Carl Hubbs; however, it was named in his honor when it was discovered to be a new species. This species has the typical dentition found in the genus, but its main outstanding features are a white "cap" on the head and very extensive scarring. The species is known from 31 strandings and one possible sighting.
shape. The beak is of moderate length, and the lower mandible almost arches over the rostrum, similar to the condition in a Blainville's beaked whale
, but less extreme. The teeth are fairly large, sit on the apex of the jaw, and are slightly higher than the rostrum. After the teeth, the jaw slopes down to form an otherwise typical-looking beak. The coloration in males is dark gray to black without countershading and has white patches on the beak, on the bulbous melon (a "beanie" cap), and have extensive scarring which also appears white. Females and juveniles are a lighter gray on top and countershade to white below, and sometimes have white on the beak as well. They reach a length of 5.4 meters (18 feet) and weigh 1500 kg (3300 lbs) for both males and females. They are around 2.5 meters (8 feet) long when born, the longest in proportion for any beaked whale: 46% of the mother's length.
and in the west it ranges from British Columbia
to California
. They may live in the open ocean in between the two areas, but no observations have been made. Because of their presumed small range, they may be rare, but nothing is known for certain about their population.
Andrews' Beaked Whale
Andrews' beaked whale , sometimes known as the deep-crest beaked whale or splay-toothed whale, is one of the most poorly known members of a poorly known genus...
when discovered by ichthyologist Carl Hubbs; however, it was named in his honor when it was discovered to be a new species. This species has the typical dentition found in the genus, but its main outstanding features are a white "cap" on the head and very extensive scarring. The species is known from 31 strandings and one possible sighting.
Physical description
The body is fairly typical for a Mesoplodon, except it is more rotund in appearance and tapered at the ends in a sort of spindleSpindle (textiles)
A spindle is a wooden spike used for spinning wool, flax, hemp, cotton, and other fibres into thread. It is commonly weighted at either the bottom middle or top, most commonly by a circular or spherical object called a whorl, and may also have a hook, groove or notch, though spindles without...
shape. The beak is of moderate length, and the lower mandible almost arches over the rostrum, similar to the condition in a Blainville's beaked whale
Blainville's Beaked Whale
Blainville's beaked whale , or the dense-beaked whale, is the widest ranging mesoplodont whale and perhaps the most documented. Henri de Blainville first described the species in 1817 from a small piece of jaw—the heaviest bone he had ever come across—which resulted in the name densirostris...
, but less extreme. The teeth are fairly large, sit on the apex of the jaw, and are slightly higher than the rostrum. After the teeth, the jaw slopes down to form an otherwise typical-looking beak. The coloration in males is dark gray to black without countershading and has white patches on the beak, on the bulbous melon (a "beanie" cap), and have extensive scarring which also appears white. Females and juveniles are a lighter gray on top and countershade to white below, and sometimes have white on the beak as well. They reach a length of 5.4 meters (18 feet) and weigh 1500 kg (3300 lbs) for both males and females. They are around 2.5 meters (8 feet) long when born, the longest in proportion for any beaked whale: 46% of the mother's length.
Population and distribution
The whale lives in the North Pacific, in the east it is limited to JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and in the west it ranges from British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. They may live in the open ocean in between the two areas, but no observations have been made. Because of their presumed small range, they may be rare, but nothing is known for certain about their population.