Cuvier’s beaked whale

Description

The body of Cuvier's beaked whale is robust and cigar-shaped,similar to those of other beaked whales,and can be difficult to distinguish from many of the mesoplodont whales at sea.It grows to about 5–7 m (16–23 ft) in length and weighs 2,500 kg (5,500 lb).No significant size difference is seen between sexes Its dorsal fin is curved,small,and located two-thirds of the body length behind the head.Its flippers are equally small and narrow and can be tucked into pockets in the body wall,presumably to prevent drag while swimming.Like other beaked whales,its flukes are large and lack the medial notch found in all other cetaceans.The head is short with a small,poorly defined rostrum and a gently sloping melon.A pair of throat grooves allows the whale to expand this region when sucking in its prey Cuvier's beaked whale has a short beak in comparison with other species in its family,with a slightly bulbous melon,which is white or creamy in color,and a white strip runs back to the dorsal fin about two-thirds of the way along the back.The rest of the body color varies by individual: some are dark grey;others are a reddish brown.Individuals commonly have white scars and patches caused by cookiecutter sharks.The dorsal fin varies in shape from triangular to highly falcate,whilst the fluke is about one-quarter the body length.They live for around 40 years.