African Marine Mammals

Southern bottlenose whale

Hyperoodon planifrons

by: Dagmar Fertl

The name:

The word Hyperoodon comes from the Greek word hyper meaning "above" and odon for "tooth". This animal is also named after the Latin word planus for "level" and frans for "brow" or frons for "front".

The look:

This animal has a long tube-like snout that is distinct from the melon. It has throat grooves, a small dorsal fin, small blunt flippers, and flukes with no notch. Light brown to dull yellow in color, these large animals can be covered with light scars and scratches. The adult males have a visible single pair of conical teeth at the tip of the lower jaw.

The size:

The maximum size of this species is 7.8 m.

Location in Africa:

This beaked whale is known from the waters of South Africa.

Interesting facts:

This species is known for deep diving and can remain below for over an hour. They are thought to feed mainly on squid. Pods of less than 10 are most common.

Human impacts:

Human impacts in African waters are unknown.

IUCN Status:

Insufficiently known.

To learn more about southern bottlenose whales try these sources:

Jefferson, T.A. Leatherwood, S. and M.A. Webber. 1994. FAO Species Identification Guide, Marine Mammals of the World. FAO of the United Nations, Rome.

Leatherwood, S. and R.R. Reeves. 1987. The Sierra Club Handbook of Whales and Dolphins. Sierra Club Books, San Fransisco.

Threatened Fauna in Australia

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URL for this page: http://csiwhalesalive.org/csisouthbottlenose.html