Sperm Whale [Physeter macrocephalus]
Description
One of the largest predators on Earth, the Sperm Whale is a toothed whale that can reach lengths of 20.5 meters and weights of 57,000 kilograms. They have a distinctive square-shaped head, which contains a substance called spermaceti, once used in oil lamps and lubricants. Sperm Whales are deep divers, capable of reaching depths over 2,000 meters in search of large squids, their primary food source. They are found throughout the world's oceans, in both tropical and cold, temperate waters.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Chordates
Chordata
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Mammals
Mammalia
|
| Order |
Cetaceans
Cetacea
|
| Family |
Sperm whales
Physeteridae
|
| Genus |
Sperm Whale
Physeter
|