sperm whale
E609834
The sperm whale is the largest toothed predator on Earth, a deep-diving marine mammal known for its massive square head, powerful echolocation, and global oceanic range.
Observed surface forms (1)
| Surface form | Occurrences |
|---|---|
| Physeter macrocephalus | 0 |
Statements (82)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
deep-diving mammal
ⓘ
marine mammal ⓘ species ⓘ |
| ambergrisUse | perfume industry ⓘ |
| avoids | most polar pack ice ⓘ |
| blowCharacteristics | low bushy blow angled forward and left ⓘ |
| bodyColor |
brownish gray
ⓘ
dark gray ⓘ |
| brainMass | largest brain of any living animal ⓘ |
| breathingMedium | air ⓘ |
| calvingInterval | about 4 to 6 years ⓘ |
| class | Mammalia ⓘ |
| commonNameOf | Physeter macrocephalus NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| conservationStatus | Vulnerable ⓘ |
| conservationStatusSystem | IUCN Red List NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| culturalSignificance | featured in novel Moby-Dick ⓘ |
| diet |
fish
ⓘ
rays ⓘ sharks ⓘ squid ⓘ |
| distinctiveFeature |
massive square head
ⓘ
narrow lower jaw ⓘ single blowhole on left side of head ⓘ |
| diveDepth | over 1000 metres ⓘ |
| diveDuration | over 60 minutes ⓘ |
| dorsalFeature | small dorsal hump ⓘ |
| echolocationFunction |
navigation in deep water
ⓘ
prey detection ⓘ |
| family | Physeteridae NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| genus | Physeter NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| geographicRange |
from equator to high latitudes
ⓘ
global oceans ⓘ |
| gestationPeriod | about 14 to 16 months ⓘ |
| groupName | pod ⓘ |
| habitat |
deep offshore waters
ⓘ
open ocean ⓘ |
| hasDentition | teeth only in lower jaw ⓘ |
| hasHair | sparse hairs on snout in calves ⓘ |
| hasMilk | yes ⓘ |
| hasType | toothed whale ⓘ |
| headContent | spermaceti organ ⓘ |
| historicallyHuntedFor |
ambergris
ⓘ
spermaceti oil ⓘ whale oil ⓘ |
| kingdom | Animalia ⓘ |
| lactationPeriod | more than 1 year ⓘ |
| lifespan | over 60 years ⓘ |
| locomotion | powerful tail flukes ⓘ |
| maximumLength | about 20.5 metres ⓘ |
| maximumMass | about 57,000 kilograms ⓘ |
| maximumRecordedDiveDepth | over 2000 metres ⓘ |
| migrationPattern | latitudinal movements related to sex and age ⓘ |
| newbornLength | about 4 metres ⓘ |
| newbornMass | about 1000 kilograms ⓘ |
| notableIndividual | Mocha Dick (historical bull sperm whale) NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| order | Cetacea NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| phylum | Chordata ⓘ |
| preyedUponBy | killer whale ⓘ |
| protectedBy | International Whaling Commission moratorium on commercial whaling ⓘ |
| reproduction | viviparous ⓘ |
| reproductionMode | internal fertilization ⓘ |
| respiration | lungs ⓘ |
| sexualDimorphism | males much larger than females ⓘ |
| socialStructure |
bachelor groups of males
ⓘ
female-led social groups ⓘ solitary large males at high latitudes ⓘ |
| spermacetiFunction |
buoyancy control (hypothesized)
ⓘ
sound production ⓘ |
| tailFeature | triangular flukes ⓘ |
| thermoregulation | endothermic ⓘ |
| threat |
chemical pollution
ⓘ
climate change impacts ⓘ entanglement in fishing gear ⓘ noise pollution ⓘ ship strikes ⓘ |
| trophicRole | apex predator ⓘ |
| uses | echolocation ⓘ |
| ventralColor | paler underside ⓘ |
| vocalization |
clicks
ⓘ
codas ⓘ |
| vocalizationFunction |
communication
ⓘ
echolocation ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.