Species Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758

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CAVS: 1578

Species Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758

Sperm Whale

Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundem classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentis, synonymis, locis. Editio decima, reformata. Holmiae : Laurentii Salvii Vol. 1 10, 824 pp.
Physeter catodon Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundem classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentis, synonymis, locis. Editio decima, reformata. Holmiae : Laurentii Salvii Vol. 1 10, 824 pp. [76].
Type data:
Neotype RMNH 5828, Berkhey, Netherlands.
Subsequent designation references:
Boschma, H. 1938. On the teeth and some other particulars of the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus L.). Temminckia 3: 151-278 (figured in pls 10 & 12, see <1358>[156]).
Secondary source:
Hershkovitz, P. 1966. Catalog of living whales. Bulletin of the United States National Museum 246: viii 1-259.
Catodon australis Wall, W.B. 1851. History and description of the skeleton of a new sperm whale, lately set up in the Australian Museum ... together with some account of a new genus of sperm whales called Euphysetes. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 1: i-ii 1-66 [1].
Type data:
Holotype AM P326 skeleton, Port Jackson, NSW.
Secondary source:
Hershkovitz, P. 1966. Catalog of living whales. Bulletin of the United States National Museum 246: viii 1-259.
Catodon (Meganeuron) krefftii Gray, J.E. 1865. Notice of a new species of Australian Sperm Whale (Catodon krefftii) in the Sydney Museum. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1865: 439-442 [440].
Type data:
Holotype AM P339 cervical vertebrae, NSW.
Secondary source:
Hershkovitz, P. 1966. Catalog of living whales. Bulletin of the United States National Museum 246: viii 1-259.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

Hershkovitz, P. 1966. Catalog of living whales. Bulletin of the United States National Museum 246: viii 1-259 [116] (for synonyms based on non-Australian material)
Schevill, W.E. 1986. The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature and a paradigm: the name Physeter catodon Linnaeus, 1758. Marine Mammal Science 2: 153-157 [156]
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. (see for use of catodon rather than macrocephalus; both appear in 10th edition of Linnaeus, catodon has line priority)

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Circumglobal but generally outside continental shelves.

IBRA and IMCRA regions (map not available)

IMCRA

Tasmania Province (10), Southeast Transition (11), Central Eastern Province (12), Central Eastern Transition (15), Kenn Transition (16), Kenn Province (17), Northeast Province (18), Northeast Transition (19), Timor Province (2), Cape Province (20), Northwest Transition (3), Northwest Province (4), Central Western Transition (5), Central Western Province (6), Southwest Transition (7), Southern Province (8), West Tasmania Transition (9)