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The Gervais' beaked whale
Mesoplodon europaeus
​General description
The Gervais' beaked whale is distinguished by a long, fusiform body, narrow at the rear and slightly compressed laterally. Its melon is slightly bulbous and sloping. As in other Ziphiidae, males have a triangular tooth on each side of the lower jaw. The dorsal fin, small and triangular, is positioned in the last third of the back. The pigmentation of the Gervais's beaked whale varies from dark gray to bluish gray on the back, while the ventral side is lighter. Individuals are often marked with linear and circular scars, due to social interactions or parasites.
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Habitat
A pelagic species, Gervais' beaked whale has mainly been observed in the tropical waters of the West Atlantic. It frequents deep areas, generally between 700 and 1500 meters deep, far from the coast.
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Diet
​Food
Mainly opportunistic, this whale feeds on fish and cephalopods, both benthic and pelagic.
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Behavior
Very little data is available regarding the behavior of Gervais's beaked whale. It seems that they live in small groups, of 2 to 5 individuals, although solitaries have also been observed. Discreet, they avoid ships, which makes sightings rare. They are true divers, carrying out prolonged immersions that can last up to an hour, reaching considerable depths to search for their prey.
Family : Ziphiidae​​
Height (m)​​
Weight (Kg)
Lifespan (years)
Sexual Maturity
(years)
Gestation
(month)
4.00 - 5.00
1600
40 - 50
Unknown
4.00 - 5.00
1600
40 - 50
Unknown
Unknown
Global distribution of Gervais's beaked whale, adapted from Martins, AMA, Alves, Jr., T.J., Furtado Neto, MAA, & Lien, J. (2004). The northernmost record of Gervais's beaked whale, Mesoplodon europaeus (Gervais, 1855), for the southern hemisphere. Latin American Review of Aquatic Mammals , 3 (2), 151–155. https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00059.
Observations in the Lesser Antilles (CCS)
Main threats
Entanglement in fishing gear poses a danger, with incidental captures reported in offshore drift gillnet fishing. They can also be taken as bycatch during hunts. Marine debris, when ingested, sometimes causes deaths. Finally, the noise of the ocean, particularly linked to human activity, disrupts their behavior, moving them away from areas essential to their survival.
Insufficient Data
IUCN Status :
References
- Sylvestre, Jean-Pierre. 2014. Cetaceans of the World Systematics, Ethology, Biology, Ecology, Status. Practical Guide. Éditions Quae.
- NOAA Fisheries
- International Whaling Commision