Giant Beaked Whales: Berardius bairdii and B. arnuxii

摘要: Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the characteristics, taxonomy, distribution, abundance, and ecology of giant beaked whales, or Berardius bairdii B. arnuxii. These two species are largest members family Ziphiidae. Currently recognized morphological differences between slight limited to smaller adult size in Arnoux's whale (8.5–9.75 m vs. 9.1–11.1 m) possible flipper shape nasal bones vomer. Condylobasal lengths skulls whales range from 1174–1420 mm, those Baird's 1343–1524 mm. inhabit vast areas Southern Hemisphere outside tropics, Ross Sea at 78°S Sao Paulo (24°S), northern New Zealand (37°S), South Africa (31°S), southeastern Australia (29°S). temperate North Pacific adjacent seas, mainly deep waters over continental slope. The limits Cape Navarin (62°N) Bering central Okhotsk (57°N), where they occur even shallow 200–1000 m. On American side usually north Baja California (30°N), but there records La Paz (24°) southern Gulf California. on Asian 36°N Japanese coast Japan 34°N coast. They year-round Japan, including drift ice area former. A vagrant was taken off Chinese (30°N).