Strap-toothed whale

The Layard Whale ( Mesoplodon layardii ) is a cetacean of the family of beaked whales ( Ziphiidae ). He is by all members of the genus of the two toothed whales ( Mesoplodon ) is the largest and has the longest teeth.

Dissemination

Layard Whales circumpolar ago in the seas of the southern hemisphere. Strandings or sightings are known inter alia from Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Namibia, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, most often they are observed in the Australian-New Zealand region.

Description

Adult animals are dark brown gray to black, white patches are found in the genital area, the mouth and the throat. The back is light gray from the blowhole to behind the Finn. The snouts of these animals are long and thin, with the males protrude from the lower jaw two long, flattened, curved teeth out. In old males the teeth on the snout can cross over arc and cause can be opened only a short distance of the mouth, but that does not seem to disturb him with food intake. Layard whales reach a length from 5 to 6.2 meters and a maximum weight of 2.7 tonnes, of which the females are slightly larger than males.

Way of life

Layard Whales are inhabitants of temperate oceans cool, they usually stay away from the coast to the open sea. You are considered shy animals that wegtauchen at the approach of a ship. The tusks of the male are used in fighting rivals, of which the scars on these animals testify. The food of these animals consists mainly of squid and live on the sea floor fish. Investigations of the stomach contents of stranded animals have shown that the prey of males and females were approximately equal, although the latter their mouth can be much more open. Maybe the whales suck their prey into the mouth.

Threat

Layard Whales are in the southern waters as relatively common and widespread whales. Chased in a commercial scale, they have never been.