General Description
Body pattern brown-grey to black above and pale underneath. Head square, about one third the length of the body. Up to 3.8 m long.
Biology
These whales are similar in appearance to the larger Sperm Whale and bare the same characteristically-shaped squared head. They weigh up to 450 kg, growing from 50 kg when first born.
Habitat
Deep water areas of temperate and tropical waters, to depth of 1400 m.
Open water
Distribution guide
Worldwide. 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
3.8 m
Diet
Carnivore
Commercial Species
No
Global Dispersal
Recorded in Australia
Conservation Status
- CITES : Trade restrictions (Appendix II)
- DSE Advisory List : Not listed
- EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
- IUCN Red List : Data Deficient
Author
Dr. Erich Fitzgerald is a Senior Curator of palaeontology at Museum Victoria.
Author
Blair Patullo is Online Producer for marine projects at Museum Victoria.
Cite this page as:
Fitzgerald, E. & Patullo, B., 2011, Pygmy Sperm Whale, Kogia breviceps, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 20 Oct 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/8090
