Strap-toothed whale

Common card · No. 291591

The strap-toothed whale (Mesoplodon layardii), also known as Layard's beaked whale, is one of the largest members of the Mesoplodon genus, growing to 6.2 m (20 ft) in length and reaching up to 1,300 kg (2,900 lb). It is named for its long, curved teeth, which in adult males grow out of the lower jaw and arch over the upper jaw, restricting the jaw from opening. The common and scientific names also honor Edgar Leopold Layard, the curator of the South African Museum, who prepared drawings of a skull and sent them to the British taxonomist John Edward Gray, who described the species in 1865. This species is known for its unique coloration pattern, and inhabits deep subantarctic waters of the southern hemisphere. Strap-toothed whales rely on echolocation clicks, surface at step angles, and tend to travel in small groups. Their diet consists mainly of squid, and males and females hunt the same sized prey. Although not a target for whaling, threats like plastic ingestion, noise pollution, and...

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