Family PHYSETERIDAE

Museums

Regional Maps

Introduction

Although sometimes this family includes taxa assigned to Kogiidae, here we recognise that as a distinct family of sperm whales. Thus, a single species of Physeteridae is known from Australian waters.

The head is vey large, one-third the total length in Physeter, and the upper jaw extends beyond the lower. The dorsal fin is present, although only as a hump in Physeter. A spermaceti organ lies in a large anterodorsal cavity of the skull. Erupted teeth occur only in the lower jaw and vary in number from sixteen to fifty. Six (except the atlas) or seven cervical vertebrae are fused.

Physeter is highly social, capable of diving to great depths and, while females and young usually remain in tropical and temperate waters, males migrate to polar latitudes. Cephalopods are the main diet.

General References

Baker, A.N. 1983. Whales and Dolphins of New Zealand and Australia. Wellington : Victoria University Press 133 pp.

Bannister, J.L. 1989. Physeteridae. pp. 965-969 in Walton, D.W. & Richardson, B.J. (eds). Fauna of Australia. Mammalia. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 1B 827 pp.

History of changes