True’s beaked Whale
English: True’s beaked whale
German: True-Zweizahnwal
Spanish: Zifio de True
French: Mésoplodon de True
Drawing of Mesoplodon mirus © Wurtz-Artescienza
1. Description
True’s Beaked Whales from the Northern Hemisphere are grey fading to light grey on the undersides. Adults have a dark ring around the eye and some areas of white. Southern Hemisphere adults have a white area trailing backwards from the dorsal fin, a darker, flecked belly, and the tip of the beak becomes white. Scratches and scars appear on all animals, and a small tooth is exposed either side of the lower jaw in males. The largest female documented measured 5.1m and weighed 1,400 kg; the largest male measured 5.3m (Ward 2001).
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