Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | CoL | ITIS | WoRMS

Mammalia | Cetartiodactyla | Physeteridae

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Pelagic; oceanodromous (Ref. 75906); depth range 0 - 3200 m (Ref. 1005), usually 500 - 500 m (Ref. 75906). Tropical; 90°N - 90°S, 180°W - 180°E

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Circumglobal.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ?, range 830 - 920 cm Max length : 2,400 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 99323); 1200 cm TL (female); max. published weight: 57.0 t (Ref. 1394)

Largest sperm whale (Ref. 1394). Sperm whaling has a long history. The most intense periods were the Yankee whaling era of the 1800s and the factory ship whaling of the 20th century. Recent findings of studies on social behavior and breeding undermine assumptions in the models on which exploitation and management have long been based. Certain populations have been depleted, but the sperm whale remains the most abundant of all the great whales (Great whales generally include the sperm whale and all baleen whales, except the pygmy right whale) (Ref. 1394). Maximum size of female species based from Ref. 1394. Deep divers. Feeds on squids, octopuses (Ref. 1394), sharks, demersal rays, and bony fishes (Ref. 122680). Forms strong social bonds (Ref. 122680).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Mature females live in socially cohesive groups of 10-30 individuals which include immature males and females and within is a communal suckling and caring of the young. Also, males leave the group at the age of 6 (Ref. 97765).

Main reference References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Jefferson, T.A., S. Leatherwood and M.A. Webber. 1993. (Ref. 1394)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Vulnerable (VU) (A1d); Date assessed: 30 June 2008

CITES status (Ref. 108899)

Appendix I: International trade banned

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Appendix I & II: Endangered migratory species conserved through agreements

Threat to humans

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial
FAO - Fisheries: landings, species profile | FishSource | Sea Around Us

Tools

E-book | Field guide

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items

Common names
Synonyms
Predators
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Morphology
Larvae
Abundance

References
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 0.3 - 3.8, mean 1.7 (based on 39945 cells).

Resilience (Ref. 69278): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.05-0.16; tm=10).

Vulnerability (Ref. 71543): High vulnerability (64 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758