Sperm whale

Monday, December 10, 2012

Sperm whale

The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) is a large toothed whale (odontocete) belonging to the order Cetacea. It is the only living member of genus Physeter, and one of three extant species in the sperm whale family, along with the pygmy sperm whale and dwarf sperm whale of the genus Kogia. A marine mammal, it possesses the largest brain of any animal. Its name derives from a milky-white waxy substance, spermaceti, found in its enormous head. Once known as Physeter catodon, the sperm whale is also known as the common cachalot, possibly derived from an archaic French word for "tooth".
A mature male can grow to 20.5 metres (67 ft) long, and weighing up to 60 tons, its head representing up to one-third of the animal's length. Plunging to 3 kilometres (9,800 ft) for prey, it is the deepest diving mammal. Living up to 70 years, a mature sperm whale has few natural predators. Calves and weakened adults are taken by pods of orcas.