It's a big ocean out there - big enough for some fairly substantially sized things to remain hidden from view. However, every once in a while, a tantalizing hint of what's out there comes to light.
Whales are big too, but not nearly as big as the ocean. That's why a whole group of intriguing whales have been able to remain hidden from most people for so long, and even to this day are still so poorly known.
These whales are the members of the Family Ziphiidae. Because most of the nearly 20 species have a long snout, they are frequently referred to as "beaked whales". . . at least by those familiar with this obscure family. Other people would probably just call them strange or bizarre.
Why? Primarily because of their teeth, or more accurately, their lack of teeth. For in all but a few species, beaked whales have only one pair of teeth, and these are on the lower jaw, toward the front end.
Furthermore, these dual teeth are not particularly all that
"tooth" shaped, but odd-looking, often being curved on the sides and
pointed at the tip. In one species, the teeth are flat and are said
to look like the leaf of the ginkgo tree, and hence it has been
called the Ginkgo-toothed Beaked Whale (Mesoplodon ginkogodens).
(This is actually a pretty accurate description of this whale's
teeth, assuming, of course, you know what a ginkgo leaf looks
like.)
So what do beaked whales do with these "way out" teeth? Apparently, they don't eat with them. Beaked whales seem to mainly dine on squids, varied only somewhat with deepwater fishes, crustaceans and sea cucumbers. This diet seems to be the same, no matter what age or sex a beaked whale happens to be. Yet it is only the mature males that develop teeth. In females and young males, the teeth may be there, but they never grow large enough to break through their gums.
Another good indicator that beaked whales are not dining with their teeth is the propensity for barnacles to grow on the teeth of some species. Male Blainville's Beaked Whales (M. desirostris) have been found with their teeth so crowded by barnacles that it looks like they're adorned with flowery bonnets rather than teeth.
Furthermore, in a southern hemisphere species, the Strap-toothed Beaked Whale (M. layardii), a male's teeth, may with age, become long and tusk-like. These will effectively prevent the whale's jaws from opening more than an inch. Yet the animal can still feed, evidently using a slurping method.
The lack of developed teeth on the females and young can really complicate identification. This is especially true when considering the way in which most beaked whales have been initially discovered and identified.
For beaked whales are true creatures of the deep. Most prefer water over 3,000 feet in depth. If, per chance, they surface near a boat or ship, they are shy and cautious. Yet their unfamiliarity with the shore may make them more prone to being beached than other whales. Therefore, most beaked whale identification is based on dead stranded whales. Or even on merely bleached skulls and skeletons. Some species, as of yet, have never been observed in the wild, nor even alive. And with so many species being fairly similar in appearance in this dead state, without the telltale teeth, it's really tricky to know what whale has washed ashore.
Some of the more common - "common" being a term which, of course, must be used in a relative sense in connection with beaked whales - have been encountered alive. But none have ever been captured without injuring the animal. (So don't look for a beaked whale show at your nearest aquarium.) Only recently have some extremely fortunate underwater photographers been able to capture some species of beaked whales on film. It is, after all, a big ocean out there.
Another feature that beaked whales seem to all possess is their having scars and scratches all over their bodies. These seem to be where those odd teeth come into play. Male beaked whales evidently use those teeth as "jousting weapons." Additionally, some of these assorted marks appear to be battlescars left from shark and killer whale attack. It may be a big ocean out there, but it still is a rough life for its inhabitants.
As far as their general appearance, most beaked whales resemble oversized dolphins. Rather plump dolphins, maybe. . . and with relatively smaller, more sickle-shaped dorsal fins, set back on their bodies. . . and proportionately smaller flippers. And those funny looking teeth.
California probably has seven species of beaked whales. These range from the largest, Baird's Beaked Whale (Berardius bairdii), which has been recorded at 42 feet and 10 tons, to Hubbs' Beaked Whale (M. carlhubbsi), with a length of 14 1/2 feet. Most beaked whales are found (if found at all, that is), either singly or in small pods of up containing up to 40 individuals. They are excellent divers, and after a very brief surface interval, will stay down for close to an hour. They are not particularly migratory, and in general, are so rare that they have never been exploited commercially.
The beaked whale family actually contains enough species that it is considered to be the second largest whale family in the world. These whales' intriguing and tantalizing ways has caused these illusive toothless (or near-toothless) wonders of the deep to be wanted - dead or alive - by researchers. And whenever one does wash ashore, or appear in the wild, it almost always causes quite a stir among the "what is that?" crowd of people.
Truly, there is still so much out there in the big ocean to learn about. The Ginkgo-toothed whale, for instance, wasn't even discovered until 1957! Even now, less than two-dozen specimens have been collected. Then just back in 1991, the Pygmy Beaked Whale (M. peruvianus) was found. It is said to range between Peru and southern Baja.
So far. Yet, in such a big ocean, where so many things have
managed to remain hidden for so long, this species may someday also
come to be viewed in California, and be added to the state's list of
illusive, bizarre, and fascinating beaked whales.
Nancy Vander Velde has illustrated several marine life books and is a regular contributor to California Diving News.
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