Marine Mammals Information Database :Illustrated Guide of Marine Mammals

Stejneger's beaked whale

Scientific Name : Mesoplodon stejnegeri / Japanese Name : ougiha-kujira

Stejneger's beaked whale

Details

Order Cetartiodactyla
Suborder Odontoceti
Family Ziphiidae
Genus Mesoplodon
Species stejnegeri
Subspecies -
Subtype -
CITES Appendix II IUCN RedData Status Data Deficient
Baleen plates or tooth-Upper jaw - Baleen plates or tooth-Lower jaw 1(male only)
At birth At weaning Adult Adult male Adult female
Body length - - 15-17.5ft - -
Body weight - - - - -
Feature and Habit
Stejneger's beaked whales have small head beak. The dorsal fin is small and locates quite posterior in position. The flipper is also small. The body color of newborns is almost brown and white ventrally, as they grow up, they become gray-blue to dark gray. Adult males have scratches believed to be caused by intraspecific fighting among adult males in breeding season. Only in adult males a pair of the teeth erupt in the lower jaw. This prominent tooth-like tusk is visible beside the upper jaw. They strand at various localities along the Sea of Japan coasts during the season early winter to early summer.
Description
Reference:
Stranding Record(s) in Japan
Map

Marine Mammals Skull Database

A click on the skull thumb nail will bring you to detailed images.


Sex - Reproductive Condition -
Body length - Locality -
Museum No. - Other No. -

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