Pygmy Sperm Whale Skull
$756.00
Pygmy Sperm Whales possess the shortest rostrum of current day cetaceans with a skull that is greatly asymmetrical. They also have a spermaceti organ that is present in their heads & in toothed whales of the family Physeteroidea.
- Description
- Additional information
Description
Pygmy Sperm Whale Skull Replica measures 17.3 in. Pygmy Sperm Whale Skull is museum quality polyurethane Cast. Made in USA. Cast of Santa Barbara MNH specimen. 2-part skull (separate cranium and jaw). Our precise skull can be used as a teaching tool, museum skull exhibit, home décor skull, or office décor skull.
The Pygmy Sperm Whale or Kogia breviceps is one of two extant species in the family Kogiidae in the sperm whale superfamily. They are not often sighted at sea, and most of what is known about them comes from the examination of stranded specimens.
Pygmy Sperm Whale or Kogia breviceps is not much larger than many dolphins. They are about 3 ft. 11 in. at birth, growing to about 11 ft. at maturity. Adults weigh about 880 lbs.
Pygmy Sperm Whale or Kogia breviceps underside is a creamy, occasionally pinkish color and the back and sides are a bluish grey; however, considerable intermixing occurs between the two colors.
The shark like head is large in comparison to body size, given an almost swollen appearance when viewed from the side. A whitish marking, often described as a false gill, is seen behind each eye.
Pygmy Sperm Whale or Kogia breviceps lower jaw is very small and slung low. The blowhole is displaced slightly to the left when viewed from above facing forward. The dorsal fin is very small and hooked; its size is considerably smaller than that of the dwarf sperm whale and may be used for diagnostic purposes.
Pygmy Sperm Whale or Kogia breviceps like other toothed whales has a “melon”, a body of fat and wax in the head that it uses to focus and modulate the sounds it makes.
The inner core of the melon has a higher wax content than the outer cortex. The inner core transmits sound more slowly than the outer layer, allowing it to refract sound into a highly directional beam.
Behind the melon, separated by a thin membrane, is the spermaceti organ. Both the melon and the spermaceti organ are encased in a thick fibrous coat, resembling a bursa.
Pygmy Sperm Whale or Kogia breviceps produces sound by moving air through the right nasal cavity, which includes a valvular structure, or museau de singe, with a thickened vocal reed, functioning like the vocal cords of humans.
Pygmy Sperm Whale Facts:
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Infraorder: Cetacea
Family: Kogiidae
Genus: Kogia
Species: K. breviceps
Binomial name: Kogia breviceps
Conservation status: Least concerned
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Additional information
| Weight | 20 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 17.3 × 15.6 × 11.2 in |
| World Whale Day - 3rd Sunday of February | World Whale Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of February each year to recognize whales and raise awareness of the threats they face. The day began in Maui, Hawaii in 1980 to honor the humpback whales that migrate to the islands each winter to give birth. The Pacific Whale Foundation organizes events that include parades, activities for children, and fun characters. |
