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Spade-toothed whale

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Spade-toothed whale
A beached male of the species found in New Zealand in 2024
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Infraorder: Cetacea
Family: Ziphiidae
Genus: Mesoplodon
Species:
M. traversii
Binomial name
Mesoplodon traversii
(Gray, 1874)
Locations and dates of specimens
Synonyms

Dolichodon traversii Gray, 1874
Mesoplodon bahamondi Reyes, Van Waerebeek, Cárdenas and Yáñez, 1995

The spade-toothed whale (Mesoplodon traversii) is the rarest species of beaked whale. As of a find in 2024, only six specimens have been confirmed, all in the South Pacific, five in New Zealand and one in Chile. Very little is known about the species.

Discovery

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Lower jaw found on Pitt Island in 1872. Illustration by "J.B." (John Buchanan) published in Hector 1873

The whale was discovered from a lower jaw with teeth found by naturalist Henry Travers on Pitt Island in the Chatham Islands of New Zealand in 1872. James Hector, the director of the Colonial Museum, reported the jaw in an 1873 paper on the whales and dolphins of New Zealand, thinking it a specimen of Dolichodon layardii, which had been described by British Museum zoologist John Edward Gray in 1865 from a South African specimen.[3] Gray, in an 1874 response, doubted Hector's identification and thought the jaw likely from a new species, which he provisionally named Dolichodon traversii in honor of Travers, the collector.[4] Hector was not persuaded though and insisted in an 1878 article that it was the jaw of a strap-toothed whale, which by then had been renamed Mesoplodon layardi.[5][6]

A damaged calvaria (the top of the skull) was found washed up on Robinson Crusoe Island, Chile, in 1993 and was described as a new species, Mesoplodon bahamondi or Bahamonde's beaked whale.[7] A calvaria found at White Island in New Zealand in the 1950s went unidentified for about 40 years, until in 1999 it was identified as being from a ginkgo-toothed beaked whale (Mesoplodon ginkgodens).[8] According to a 2002 study, DNA sequence and morphological comparisons show that the first three finds all came from the same species, which is therefore properly known as M. traversii.[6]

In December 2010, a 5.3-metre (17 ft) cow and 3.5-metre (11 ft) male calf stranded, then died, on Opape Beach, eastern Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. At the time they were thought to be Gray's beaked whale (Mesoplodon grayi), and were buried at the beach after photographs, measurements and tissue samples were taken. Genetic analysis in 2011 revealed that they were spade-toothed whales, the first whole individuals known to have been seen. The skeletons were exhumed, without the female's skull, which had washed out to sea, and were taken to Te Papa, New Zealand's national museum. The first ever description of the external appearance of the whale, along with an analysis of DNA, was published in 2012.[9][10][11][12]

On 4 July 2024, a dead 5-metre (16 ft) male blackish-silver specimen washed ashore near Taieri Mouth, on the southern east coast of the South Island, New Zealand.[13] Samples from the intact specimen were taken by the Department of Conservation and sent to the University of Auckland's Cetacean Tissue Archive for DNA testing.[14] The specimen was brought to the Invermay Agricultural Centre in Mosgiel for dissection, which began on 2 December. This was the first intact specimen able to be dissected.[15]

Description

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Size comparison to an average human
Skeleton

Until 2012, nothing was known about this species other than cranial and dental anatomy. Some differences exist between it and other mesoplodonts, such as the relatively large width of the rostrum. Its appearance might be most similar to an oversized ginkgo-toothed beaked whale in overall shape, as their skulls are quite alike except in size. The distinguishing characters are the very large teeth, 23 cm (9 in), close in size to those of the strap-toothed whale. The teeth are much wider than those of the strap-toothed, and a peculiar denticle on the tip of the teeth present on both species is much more pronounced in the spade-toothed whale. It is believed that only the males obtain the jutted denticle and that it smoothens over time due to aggressive behavior with other males.[16] The common name was chosen because the part of the tooth that protrudes from the gums (unlike the strap-like teeth of strap-toothed whales) has a shape similar to the tip of a flensing spade as used by 19th-century whalers.

Despite the rather similar dentition, the spade-toothed whale and strap-toothed whale seem to be only distantly related. The present species' relationships are not known with certainty, though, because this species is very distinct morphologically, and the DNA sequence information is contradictory and is currently not good enough to support a robust phylogenetic hypothesis.[6][17] Judging from the size of the skull, the species was thought to be between 5.0 and 5.5 m (16.4 and 18.0 ft) in length, perhaps a bit larger. The first (2010) known complete specimens are a 5.3-m (17.4-ft) adult female and her 3.5-m (11.5-ft) male calf. The cow was spindle-shaped, with a triangular dorsal fin with a concave trailing edge set about two-thirds the way back. It was dark gray or black dorsally and white ventrally, with a light thoracic patch created by a diagonal band that extends from behind the eye downwards and back to the dorsal fin. It also has a dark eye patch, rostrum, and flippers.[11]

Behaviour and ecology

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It is likely the most poorly known large mammal species of modern times. It has never been seen alive, so nothing is known of its behavior. It is presumably similar to other medium-sized Mesoplodon, which are typically deep-water species living alone or in small groups and feeding on cephalopods and small fish. Following a year-long gestation period, the young probably become independent of their mothers at about one year of age, as is the case in most whales, with roughly a 73% chance of survival past year one.[18]

It is assumed that the remaining population lives solely in the Southern Hemisphere, and possibly only in the South Pacific.[19]

Conservation

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The population status of the spade-toothed whale is entirely unknown.

The spade-toothed whale is covered by the Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and Their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region (Pacific Cetaceans MOU).[20] The species' IUCN Red List conservation status is "Data Deficient (DD)"[21] due to lack of information and uncertain data.[22]

Specimens

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  • NMNZ 546 – 1872; Pitt Island specimen, apparently male, probably fully adult
  • University of Auckland School of Biological Sciences MacGregor Collection (unnumbered) – 1950s White Island specimen, probably fully adult
  • Chilean National Museum of Natural History 1156 – 1986; Robinson Crusoe Island specimen, probably fully adult
  • University of Auckland School of Biological Sciences MacGregor Collection 2010; Opape Beach specimen, adult female with male calf.
  • Department of Conservation recovered a specimen on 4 July 2024 from a beach near Taieri Mouth in Otago;[23][13] genetic samples have been sent to the University of Auckland for testing, with this specimen being the most intact ever found and offering the first chance for dissection of a specimen.[24]

The sex of the two 20th-century specimens is unknown. The sex could in theory be determined by recovering or failing to recover DNA sequences of the Y chromosome.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Pitman, R.L.; Taylor, B.L. (2020). "Mesoplodon traversii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T41760A50383956. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T41760A50383956.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Archived from the original on 3 February 2007. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  3. ^ Hector, James (1873). "On the whales and dolphins of the New Zealand seas". Transactions of the New Zealand Institute. 5: 166–167, pl. III. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  4. ^ Gray, John Edward (1874). "Notes on Dr Hector's paper on the whales and dolphins of the New Zealand seas". Transactions of the New Zealand Institute. 6: 95–96. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  5. ^ Hector, James (1878). "Notes on the whales of the New Zealand seas". Transactions of the New Zealand Institute. 10: 341–342. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  6. ^ a b c van Helden, Anton L.; Baker, Alan N.; Dalebout, Merel L.; Reyes, Julio C.; Van Waerebeek, Koen; Baker, C. Scott (2002). "Resurrection of Mesoplodon traversii (Gray, 1874), senior synonym of M. bahamondi Reyes, Van Waerebeek, Cárdenas and Yáñez, 1995 (Cetacea: Ziphiidae)" (PDF). Marine Mammal Science. 18 (3): 609–621. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  7. ^ Reyes, J.C.; Van Waerebeek, K; Cárdenas J.C. & Yáñez, J.L. (1995): Mesoplodon bahamondi sp.n. (Cetacea, Ziphiidae), a new living beaked whale from the Juan Fernández Archipelago, Chile. Boletin del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Chile 45: 31–44.
  8. ^ Baker, Alan N.; van Helden, Anton L. (1999). "New records of beaked whales, Genus Mesoplodon, from New Zealand (Cetacea: Ziphiidae)". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 29 (3): 239–240. Bibcode:1999JRSNZ..29..235B. doi:10.1080/03014223.1999.9517594.
  9. ^ Thompson, Kirsten; C. Scott Baker; Anton van Helden; Selina Patel; Craig Miller; Rochelle Constantine (6 November 2012). "The world's rarest whale". Current Biology. 22 (21): R905–R906. Bibcode:2012CBio...22.R905T. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2012.08.055. PMID 23137682.
  10. ^ Perry, Nick (7 November 2012). "Beached whales of rarest species". Stuff. AP. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  11. ^ a b Platt, John R. Amazing: Rarest Whale Seen for First Time in History, but Not at Sea Archived 7 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Scientific American Blogs, 5 November 2012.
  12. ^ "First ever sighting of rare whale confirmed". CBC News. 6 November 2012. Archived from the original on 9 November 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
    "World's rarest whale seen for first time: Spade-toothed whale". Scientific American Blogs. 5 November 2012. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  13. ^ a b Vyas, Heloise (16 July 2024). "Rare spade-toothed whale washes ashore on New Zealand beach in discovery hailed as 'huge' for science". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  14. ^ Sullivan, Helen (16 July 2024). "World's rarest whale may have washed up on New Zealand beach". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  15. ^ "New Zealand scientists begin dissecting rare spade-toothed whale". [[ABC News (Australia)|]]. 2 December 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  16. ^ "Marine Mammals of the World: A Comprehensive Guide to Their Identification by T. A. Jefferson, M. A. Webber and R. L. Pitman". Marine Mammal Science. 26 (2): 499–500. April 2010. Bibcode:2010MMamS..26..499.. doi:10.1111/j.1748-7692.2009.00358.x. ISSN 0824-0469.
  17. ^ Dalebout, Merel L.; Ross, Graham J.B.; Baker, C. Scott; Anderson, R. Charles; Best, Peter B.; Cockcroft, Victor G.; Hinsz, Harvey L.; Peddemors, Victor & Pitman, Robert L. (2003): Appearance, Distribution, and Genetic Distinctiveness of Longman's Beaked Whale, Indopacetus pacificus. Marine Mammal Science 19 (3): 421–461. PDF fulltext Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ New, Leslie F.; Moretti, David J.; Hooker, Sascha K.; Costa, Daniel P.; Simmons, Samantha E. (17 July 2013). "Using Energetic Models to Investigate the Survival and Reproduction of Beaked Whales (family Ziphiidae)". PLOS ONE. 8 (7): e68725. Bibcode:2013PLoSO...868725N. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068725. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 3714291. PMID 23874737.
  19. ^ "Spade-toothed beaked whale". Whale & Dolphin Conservation USA. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  20. ^ "Official webpage of the Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and Their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region". Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  21. ^ Taylor, B.L.; Pitman, R.L. (August 2020). "Mesoplodon traversii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. August 2020: e.T41760A50383956. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T41760A50383956.en.
  22. ^ Taylor, B.L.; Pitman, R.L. (August 2020). "Spade-toothed Whale – Assessment justification". iucnredlist.org. IUCN. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  23. ^ "Rare whale washes ashore". www.stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  24. ^ "World's rarest whale washes ashore in Otago". www.doc.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
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