General Description
Males have a dark greyish-blue to black body with a white snout and lower jaw (beak). Females have an off-white beak. Up to 4.8 m long.
Biology
Very little is known about Andrews' Beaked Whales and it likely inhabits deep offshore waters. Breeding occurs during autumn and summer. Stranded individuals may occasionally be observed on Australian beaches.
Habitat
Cool temperate waters.
Open water
Distribution guide
Indo-Pacific Ocean, New Zealand and southern Australia. Potentially near Port Phillip, recorded from Victoria.
Species Group
Depth
Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)
Water Column
Max Size
4.8 m
Diet
Carnivore
Commercial Species
No
Global Dispersal
Recorded in Australia
Conservation Status
- DSE Advisory List : Not listed
- EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
- IUCN Red List : Data Deficient
- CITES : Trade restrictions (Appendix II)
Author
Dr. Erich Fitzgerald is a Senior Curator of palaeontology at Museum Victoria.
Author
Dr. Ryan Jefferies is a volunteer online editor at Museum Victoria.
Cite this page as:
Fitzgerald, E. & Jefferies, R., 2011, Andrews' Beaked Whale, Mesoplodon bowdoini, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 25 Feb 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/5719
