Dwarf Sperm Whale Skull Replica

Description

Dwarf sperm whale skull replica measures 11.4 x 8.0 x 8.8 inches. The Kogia sima is a museum-quality polyurethane resin cast from the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History specimen. 1:1 scale. Made in USA. Specimen is an audlt male.

The dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima) is a small, elusive cetacean often mistaken for its cousin, the pygmy sperm whale, until scientific classification officially separated them in 1998.

Thriving in tropical and temperate oceans worldwide, these deep-sea dwellers represent one of the smallest “whale” species, generally measuring just 6 to 9 feet long. They have a boxy, dark gray-to-brown head, a short snout, and a robust body that tapers at the tail.

They are shy and rarely seen at sea, preferring to lie motionless at the surface. This is a behavior that makes them look like floating logs.

Scientific Classification

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Artiodactyla
• Infraorder: Cetacea
• Family: Kogiidae
• Genus: Kogia
• Species: K. sima
• Binomial name: Kogia sima
• Conservation status: Least Concern

Studying the dwarf sperm whale replica offers a look into the elusive Kogia genus, but to fully grasp the diversity of marine predators, paring it with the killer whale skull replica that has interlocking dentition, the bottlenose dolphin replica and the terrifyingly massive jaw of a great white shark replica creates a complete a comparative anatomy display.