For the present study 106 strandings of Kogia breviceps and 85 strandings of K. sima along the South African coastline between 1880 and 1995 were analysed in order to examine the age and growth, male and female reproduction, diet, stranding patterns, and population genetic structure of both species. Length and weight at birth were about 120cm and 53kg for K. breviceps and about 103cm and 14kg for K. sima. Von Bertalanffy growth curves were fitted to the data and indicated that physical maturity was reached at around 15 years in both sexes of K. breviceps and at 13 years in female and 15 years in male K. sima. Asymptotic length was reached at 306.0 and 286.1cm in female and male K. breviceps and 249.14 and 263.75cm in female and male K. sima, respectively. Maximum ages were16 years for male K. breviceps and 23 years for females and 17 years for male K. sima and 22 years for females. Reversed sexual size dimorphism was suggested for K. breviceps, while in K. sima males were larger than females. Attainment of sexual maturity in males occurred at between 2.5 and 5 years of age in K. breviceps and 2.6 and 3 years in K. sima, corresponding to 241-242cm and 197cm body length, respectively. The maximum combined testis weight comprised 1.04% and 2.00% for K. breviceps and K. sima, respectively, and a polygynous mating system with a roving male strategy was proposed for both species. The sperm morphology for both Kogia species was described and is characterised by 20-25 spherical mitochondria arranged in rows around the midpiece. Attainment of sexual maturity in females occurred at 5 years in both Kogia species, and at 262cm and 215cm body length in K. breviceps and K. sima, respectively. The ovulation rates were 0.9 and 0.7 per year for K. breviceps and K. sima, respectively. In K. breviceps conceptions occurred from April to September and births from March to August, while in K. sima both conceptions and births occurred from December to March. Annual reproduction and a post-partum oestrus was suggested for both Kogia species. The diet of K. breviceps comprised 50 different cephalopod species from 22 families and 17 other prey species, while K. sima fed on 32 cephalopod species from 17 families and six others. Although niche overlap indices between the two species and between groups within each species were high, some differences in diet could be determined, which allow these two sympatrically occurring species to share the same ecological niche off the coast of Southern Africa. An analysis of the stranding patterns revealed that K. sima has a closer affinity to the Agulhas current and to higher water temperatures than K. breviceps, which is supported by differences in the size of the appendages between the two species. The population genetic analysis revealed a high haplotype and nucleotide diversity for K. breviceps in the Southern hemisphere, but a lack of significant phylogeographic structure, indicating substantial gene flow among populations and inhibiting genetic differentiation of local populations, although the South African population was somewhat isolated from others in the Southern Hemisphere. In contrast the data on the phylogeographic structure of K. sima were somewhat restrictive as the majority of the samples originated from South Africa. Nevertheless, both nucleotide and haplotype diversities were markedly lower than in K. breviceps and more similar to those for other small cetacean populations, suggesting a smaller population size for K. sima than for K. breviceps. Although both Kogia species belong to the medium to larger-sized odontocetes their life histories are located near the fast end of the slow-fast continuum of life histories of marine mammals, indicating high mortality rates. The “false-gill” marking and the ability to squirt ink are thought to reflect adaptations to predator mimicry and avoidance.

No description available.

Stomach contents of 19 mature sperm whales, 18 males and one female, that stranded on New Zealand beaches between the mid 1990s and 2004 were examined, identified and measured. Three of the stomachs were empty. All other samples consisted almost entirely of cephalopod beaks. A total of 23,223 cephalopod beaks (10,647 upper and 12,576 lower), representing at least 36 species in 17 families were found in the remaining 16 stomachs. Non-cephalopod remains in the stomachs of sperm whales stranded in New Zealand included limited quantities of fish, salps, crustacean exoskeletons, a copepod, some wood and sand.The present investigation represents the most comprehensive study of the diet of sperm whales in New Zealand since the early 1960s. The results show that oceanic squid of the families Histioteuthidae, Cranchiidae, Onychoteuthidae and Octopoteuthidae are the most common remains found in the stomachs of sperm whales stranded on New Zealand beaches, with the families Onychoteuthidae, Histioteuthidae, Octopoteuthidae and Architeuthidae being the most important by estimated weight in whale diet, and the families Cranchiidae, Pholidoteuthidae and Ancistrocheiridae secondarily so.The beaks of three cephalopod species thought to be restricted to Antarctic waters (Kondakovia longimana, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni and Psychroteuthis glacialis) were found in 12 of the stomachs, suggesting these whales had recently migrated into New Zealand from more southern feeding grounds. The amount of local cephalopod beaks in the stomachs suggests some of the stranded sperm whales did not feed much within New Zealand waters in the days prior to stranding.The beaks of Taningia danae, Octopoteuthis megaptera, Octopoteuthis sp. 'Giant' and Lepidoteuthis grimaldii are illustrated and described. Oblique and lateral illustrations of the lower beaks are given, as well as sections of the rostrum, jaw angle, shoulder and lateral wall, to show the major identifying features for each of the species.Squid are an important component of food chains in the Southern Ocean and they act as both high-level predators and prey for apex predators. Therefore, seasonal fluctuations in their abundance must have cascading effects on the diets of apex predators. With increasing global fishing effort, and with cephalopods representing over 4% of the global annual catch, there are competing interests between the ocean's top teuthophagous predators and the fishing industry.Uncertainty of the effects fisheries have on the marine ecosystem has stimulated numerous research studies in recent years. However, despite the economic and ecological importance of cephalopods, there are few ecological studies on them or their significance in the trophic systems of the deep-sea and their life cycles and distribution patterns are only now beginning to be understood. Additional dietary studies that investigate the cephalopod composition and size-class structure in the diet of predators are needed to assess their importance in deepsea food webs, and the potential impact that deep-sea fisheries might have on associated and dependant species, namely apex oceanic predators.The results of this study provide the first significant insight into the diet of the sperm whale, one of the most important apex predators in New Zealand waters.

This research was carried out in support of fieldwork in the Gulf of Mexico in summers 2004 and 2005 as part of the multidisciplinary Sperm Whale Seismic Study (SWSS). Important aspects of SWSS research include oceanographic habitat characterization and studies of sperm whale foraging and diving patterns. During the SWSS 2005 cruise, acoustic volume backscatter data were collected using a 38 kHz ADCP for comparison with XBT, MODIS ocean color data, and whale dive profiles extrapolated from analysis of towed passive acoustic hydrophone array recordings of whale vocalizations. This unique data set, collected from a cyclonic eddy, was compared with non-upwelling conditions surveyed in the western Gulf and the Mississippi Canyon in summer 2004. My focus was to examine the relationship between acoustic backscatter intensity from the deep scattering layer (DSL; usually 400-600 m deep) and the depths to which whales dived. The results of the study investigate differences in DSL characteristics between divergent zones and non-divergent zones, and examine connections relating to variations in sperm whale dive patterns. The analysis of 38 kHz ADCP data showed that there were significant differences in some characteristics of the main DSL dependent on time of day. There were no significant differences in characteristics of the main DSL between divergent and non-divergent areas or between 2004 and 2005. The comparison of the 38 kHz ADCP and the 70 kHz Simrad echosounder data yielded a relationship of 4 ADCP counts for every 1 dB of Sv. This relationship was a promising start to a potential calibration for the ADCP instrument. Lastly, the analysis of localized sperm whale dive profiles identified three basic dive profiles; Deep (> 800 m), Mid-water dives to DSL depths (500 - 800 m) and Shallow (<500 m). The analysis also showed that whale dive behavior did not change based on time of day or location. It showed that whales are diving above the DSL as well as through and below, however these dives are independent of differences in DSL characteristics.

Stomach contents of 19 mature sperm whales, 18 males and one female, that stranded on New Zealand beaches between the mid 1990s and 2004 were examined, identified and measured. Three of the stomachs were empty. All other samples consisted almost entirely of cephalopod beaks. A total of 23,223 cephalopod beaks (10,647 upper and 12,576 lower), representing at least 36 species in 17 families were found in the remaining 16 stomachs. Non-cephalopod remains in the stomachs of sperm whales stranded in New Zealand included limited quantities of fish, salps, crustacean exoskeletons, a copepod, some wood and sand.The present investigation represents the most comprehensive study of the diet of sperm whales in New Zealand since the early 1960s. The results show that oceanic squid of the families Histioteuthidae, Cranchiidae, Onychoteuthidae and Octopoteuthidae are the most common remains found in the stomachs of sperm whales stranded on New Zealand beaches, with the families Onychoteuthidae, Histioteuthidae, Octopoteuthidae and Architeuthidae being the most important by estimated weight in whale diet, and the families Cranchiidae, Pholidoteuthidae and Ancistrocheiridae secondarily so.The beaks of three cephalopod species thought to be restricted to Antarctic waters (Kondakovia longimana, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni and Psychroteuthis glacialis) were found in 12 of the stomachs, suggesting these whales had recently migrated into New Zealand from more southern feeding grounds. The amount of local cephalopod beaks in the stomachs suggests some of the stranded sperm whales did not feed much within New Zealand waters in the days prior to stranding.The beaks of Taningia danae, Octopoteuthis megaptera, Octopoteuthis sp. 'Giant' and Lepidoteuthis grimaldii are illustrated and described. Oblique and lateral illustrations of the lower beaks are given, as well as sections of the rostrum, jaw angle, shoulder and lateral wall, to show the major identifying features for each of the species.Squid are an important component of food chains in the Southern Ocean and they act as both high-level predators and prey for apex predators. Therefore, seasonal fluctuations in their abundance must have cascading effects on the diets of apex predators. With increasing global fishing effort, and with cephalopods representing over 4% of the global annual catch, there are competing interests between the ocean's top teuthophagous predators and the fishing industry.Uncertainty of the effects fisheries have on the marine ecosystem has stimulated numerous research studies in recent years. However, despite the economic and ecological importance of cephalopods, there are few ecological studies on them or their significance in the trophic systems of the deep-sea and their life cycles and distribution patterns are only now beginning to be understood. Additional dietary studies that investigate the cephalopod composition and size-class structure in the diet of predators are needed to assess their importance in deepsea food webs, and the potential impact that deep-sea fisheries might have on associated and dependant species, namely apex oceanic predators.The results of this study provide the first significant insight into the diet of the sperm whale, one of the most important apex predators in New Zealand waters.

This study aimed at complementing studies of sperm whale social and vocal behaviour that were restricted to the Pacific Ocean. The characteristic multi-pulsed structure of sperm whale clicks allows for estimation of whales' size from measurements of the inter-pulse intervals (IPI). I have developed two new automatic methods for IPI estimation from clicks recorded during foraging dives. When compared to other previously developed methods, the newly developed method that averages several clicks' autocorrelation function showed the best performance amongst the automatic methods. Previous studies did not support individual identity advertisement among social unit members as the function for the sperm whale communication signals called codas. I tested within coda type variation for individual specific patterns and found that, while some coda types do not allow for individual discrimination, one did so. This variation suggests that different coda types may have distinct functions. Analysis of social structure in the Azores found that, similar to the Eastern Tropical Pacific, sperm whales form long term social units of about 12 individuals. Unlike the Pacific Ocean, Azorean social units do not form temporary groups with other units, suggesting differences in the costs and benefits of group formation. I argue that these are due to differences in terms of predation pressure and intraspecific competition between the Azores and the Pacific study sites. The variation of coda repertoires in the Atlantic also showed a pattern dissimilar to that previously documented in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. In the North Atlantic, coda repertoire variation is mostly geographic, which is parsimoniously explained by random drift of culturally transmitted coda repertoires. No sympatric vocal clans with distinct dialects were found as has been noted in the Pacific. Drawing upon the differences found in social structure I argue that selection for maximization of differences between units with similar foraging strategies may have led to the Pacific vocal clans. The differences between oceans suggest that sperm whales may adaptively adjust their behaviour according to experienced ecological conditions.

Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are widely distributed in all oceans, but principally found in areas of high primary productivity. Historically, they were whaled extensively in the Sargasso Sea and recent surveys have also found large numbers there. However, the Sargasso Sea is an oceanic gyre considered to be low in productivity. This dissertation explores the paradox of a high abundance of large top predators in a body of water once described as an “oceanic desert”. First, I compared the diet of sperm whales in the Sargasso Sea to those off Dominica, in the eastern Caribbean. Results suggested differences in trophic ecology between these two areas, with sperm whales in the Sargasso Sea feeding at a higher trophic level. Second, I examined the spatial and temporal distribution of sperm whales in the Sargasso Sea in relation to environmental variables using acoustic surveys and autonomous recording devices. Sperm whale prevalence around Kelvin seamount, part of the New England Seamount Chain, was higher in the spring compared to the winter. Habitat modeling results suggest that the mesoscale activity associated with the Gulf Stream plays an important role in sperm whale occurrence in this area, likely due to the enhancement of primary productivity in this region. Finally, I estimated the current density of sperm whales in the northwestern Sargasso Sea and compared their present distribution to their distribution during the open-boat whaling era (1775-1921). Sperm whale density in the northern Sargasso Sea is one of the highest found globally, showing that this region remains a hotspot for sperm whales. The area where sperm whale detections per unit effort is presently the highest showed little overlap with areas where whales were hunted historically. Whalers all but ignored this region except when transiting to other whaling grounds, perhaps a result of fixed whaling patterns due to the conservative use of knowledge at that time. My dissertation highlights patterns and processes that help to explain the presence and abundance of sperm whales in the Sargasso Sea and demonstrates the importance of western boundary currents, such as the Gulf Stream, to the distribution of marine top predators.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of North Carolina Wilmington, 2009. / Title from PDF title page (January 14, 2010) Includes bibliographical references (p. 82-94)

Of central importance to the study of heme proteins are the effects imposed by axial ligand(s) on the heme structure and, therefore, on the overall activity of the protein. In this study, we confirm and extend the spectroscopic characterization of a mutated sperm whale myoglobin in which the proximal Histidine is replaced with a Tyrosine residue (MbH93Y). The MbH93Y, as well as wild-type sperm whale myoglobin and horse erythrocyte catalase (HEC), was purified and characterized by optical absorption and x-ray absorption (XAS) spectroscopies. Optical absorption spectra of HEC and the metmyoglobin, cyanometmyoglobin, reduced, oxy, and carbon-monoxy forms of both sperm whale myoglobin (SWMb) and MbH93Y were identical to previously reported values within the respective errors:. Extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) studies revealed that the proximal bond length in MbH93Y was 2.13 ± 0.03 A, compared to 2.14 ± 0.02 A for sperm whale metmyoglobin and 1.90 ± 0.02 A for catalase. Additionally, the sixth coordination site normally occupied in wild type sperm whale metmyoglobin and in catalase at low temperatures was vacant in MbH93Y, a result corroborated by the optical absorption spectra and cyanogen bromide modification of the distal histidine. Measurements were also made on the cyanide complexes of the three proteins as well, among which, (i) the average iron-to-pyrrole nitrogen bond distance for MbH93Y-CN was 1.96 ± 0.015 A compared to 2.00 ± 0.015 A for WT SWMb-CN and HEC-CN and (ii) the proximal bond length in MbH93Y-CN was 2.07 ± 0.02 A, while that of WT SWMb-CN was 2.10 ± 0.02 A and that of HEC-CN was found to be 2.12 ± 0.02 A. Further, upon exposure to 2-molar equivalents of hydrogen peroxide, sperm whale myoglobin formed a Compound II -like spectrum, while the Soret absorbance of MbH93Y was rapidly, significantly, and irreversibly decreased. Furthermore, the dissociation constants for CN- binding to MbH93Y were found to be, on average, approximately three orders of magnitude higher than those of wild-type sperm whale myoglobin and are consistent with the many-fold higher cyanide binding kinetics for wild type, relative to the mutant protein. Finally, the PK. of the mutant was found to be more than three orders of magnitude higher than that of the native protein. Explanations focusing on probable electronic effects of the phenolate oxygen atom in the sperm whale myoglobin pocket are discussed.

The Kaikoura area is a valuable feeding spot for sperm whales with the presence of a submarine canyon close to shore. Male sperm whales can be found there year around, close to the shore and exhibiting almost constant foraging activities. This thesis investigates the distribution and habitat use, both spatially and temporally, of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) within the Kaikoura submarine canyon, New Zealand. The primary aim was to determine which oceanographic variables and bathymetric features influence the sperm whale distribution patterns off Kaikoura. A theodolite was used to track surfacing and movement of sperm whales from a shore-based station. The accuracy of positions recorded by the theodolite was investigated by comparing theodolite measurements of an object of known position. A calibration technique was then developed as the vertical angle was not accurately determined by the theodolite. In addition to investigating the distribution of sperm whales, the daily abundance of sperm whales within the Kaikoura submarine canyon was estimated. Distance sampling and mark-resight models showed an average of 4 (SEM = 0.13) individuals present in the study area at any given time. The mark-resight technique using photo-identification was not possible from a shore-based station so a spatio-temporal model was built in order to track the identity of individuals. The model was tested using photo-identification of sperm whales collected from a boat-based station. Results showed that 88% of the modeled identifications corresponded to the photo-identification database. Sperm whales off Kaikoura were strongly associated with depth, slope and distance from the nearest coast. They were found in waters between 500 m to 1250 m deep and preferred shallower waters in winter. In spring, sperm whales occurred further from the coast, mainly in the Hikurangi Trough, north-east of the shore-based station. Generalized Additive Models (GAM) were used to identify significant oceanographic variables predicting the presence of sperm whales off Kaikoura. Models indicated that sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophylla (Chla) and distance from sea surface temperature fronts were all important parameters in predicting sperm whales presence. Results showed that sperm whales aggregated in the section of the study area with the lowest SST and near SST fronts. This study provides a detailed insight into the use of the Kaikoura submarine canyon by male sperm whales.