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WoRMS taxon details

Physeteridae 
AphiaID: 136985

Classification: Biota > Animalia (Kingdom) > Chordata (Phylum) > Vertebrata (Subphylum) > Gnathostomata (Superclass) > Tetrapoda (Superclass) > Mammalia (Class) > Theria (Subclass) > Cetartiodactyla (Order) > Cetancodonta (Suborder) > Cetacea (Infraorder) > Odontoceti (Superfamily)
Status accepted
Record
status		 Checked by Taxonomic Editor
Rank Family
Parent Odontoceti
Synonymised
taxa		  Catodontidae F. Cuvier, 1836 (synonym)
Sources  basis of record: van der Land, J. (2001). Tetrapoda, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 375-376 (look up in IMIS) [details]

additional source: Jefferson, T.A.; Leatherwood, S.; Webber, M.A. (1993). Marine mammals of the world. FAO Species identification guide. FAO: Rome, Italy. ISBN 92-5-103292-0. VIII, 320 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details]

Vernacular
Names		 
Language   Name 
English sperm whale  [details]
Norwegian Bokmål spermhvalfamilien  [details]
Norwegian Nynorsk spermkvalfamilien  [details]
Swedish kaskeloter  [details]
Direct child
taxa
[show all]		 Genus Kogia Gray, 1846
Genus Physeter Linnaeus, 1758

Genus Catodon Linnaeus, 1761 accepted as Physeter Linnaeus, 1758
Genus Cetus Billberg, 1828 accepted as Physeter Linnaeus, 1758
Genus Meganeuron Gray, 1865 accepted as Physeter Linnaeus, 1758
Genus Megistosaurus Anonymous, in Harlan, 1828 accepted as Physeter Linnaeus, 1758
Genus Phiseter Bonnaterre, 1789 accepted as Physeter Linnaeus, 1758
Genus Physalus Lacépède, 1804 accepted as Physeter Linnaeus, 1758
Genus Physeterus Dumeril, 1806 accepted as Physeter Linnaeus, 1758
Genus Tursio Fleming, 1822 accepted as Physeter Linnaeus, 1758
Environment marine
Links To GenBank
To ITIS
Note  Description: The sperm whale is the largest toothed cetacean and has the highest degree of sexual dimorphism. There is a low dorsal hump, followed by a series of crenulations. It has a large head with a squarish profile, narrow underslung lower jaw, and functional teeth only in the upper haw (these fit into sockets in the upper jaw). The blowhole is located at the left front of the head. The head is highly modified, and is divided into sections called the 'junk' and the spermaceti organ, or 'case'. The spermaceti organ is a large oil-filled reservoir, the function of which is controversial. Sperm whales have a dish shape to the facial area of the skull, extreme cranial asymmetry, and a long rostrum. Sperm whales are known to be capable of very deep, long dives. <123> [details]
LSID urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:136985
Taxonomic
Edit history		 
Date   action   by
2004-12-21 15:54:05Z  created  van der Land, Jacob
2005-03-29 08:12:19Z  changed  Claus, Simon
2008-08-20 11:25:36Z  checked  Perrin, William
  
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  Citation: Perrin, W. (2013). Physeteridae. In: Perrin, W.F. (2013) World Cetacea Database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=136985 on 2013-05-21
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