Strap-toothed Beaked Whale BIOMETRICS

The whale initially stranded on a reef slightly further west of the resting location but was returned to sea briefly before beaching again on a sandbank. Without the equipment required to refloat such a large animal, it was not possible to safely right it in the surf and as the tide came in it became increasingly tired and unable to keep its blowhole above the surf.

The animal was very strong at first and was thrashing its tail, lifting its head clear of the water and breathing regularly. No vocalisation was heard during 2-3 hours.

The animal's colouration was not black and blue-grey as depicted in photographs taken posthumously. The eye patch and other markings appeared instead a pale grey (instead of black) against a sandy brown (instead of blue-grey). However, the lack of noticeable constrast in the markings may have been accentuated under torchlight.

Observers:
Species:

Date of stranding:
Time of stranding:
Location:

Number of Individuals:

Teeth:
Throat grooves:

Tip of upper jaw to caudal notch
Tip of upper jaw to tip of dorsal fin
Tip of upper jaw to centre of eye
Tip of upper jaw to anterior insertion of flipper
Tip of upper jaw to centre of gential opening
Tip of upper jaw to centre of anus
Tip of upper jaw to rear of throat grooves
Length of flipper from anterior insertion
Height of dorsal fin
Width of tail flukes (tip to tip)
Depth of caudal notch
Tip of upper jaw to apex of melon
Tip of upper jaw to angle of gape
Tip of upper jaw to centre of ear opening
Tip of upper jaw to centre of blowhole
Tip of upper jaw to axilla
Tip of upper jaw to centre of umbilicus
Projection of lower jaw beyond upper
Centre of eye to centre of ear opening
Centre of eye to angle of gape
Girth at axilla
Girth at anus
Length of flipper from axilla
Width of flipper (maximum)
Distance from caudal notch to anterior border of flukes
Dimensions of blowhole
Diameter of ear openings
Dimensions of eye
Length of mammary slits
(**Observed to be substantially shorter but underneath
animal when measurements were taken)

Simon Mustoe (AES) & Dave Donnelly (Melbourne aquarium)
Mesoplodon layardii (Gray, 1865)

29th January 2002
20:30 EST
144:02E, 38:28S - Spouts creek nr. Aireys Inlet

1

None
2

5500 mm
3920 mm
760 mm
1260 mm
3700 mm
3920 mm
670 mm
620 mm
210 mm
1120 mm
No caudal notch
420 mm
650 mm
930 mm
740 mm
1420 mm
2540 mm
50 mm
130 mm
240 mm
2800 mm (1/2 girth x 2)
2060 mm (1/2 girth x 2)
450 mm
160 mm
400 mm
length = 30 mm width = 120 mm
Pinhole
length = 30 mm width = 20 mm
left = 160 mm right = **