Physeteridae 
AphiaID: 136985

Classification: Biota > Animalia > Chordata > Vertebrata > Gnathostomata > Tetrapoda > Mammalia > Theria > Cetartiodactyla > Cetancodonta > Cetacea > Odontoceti

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
		[Taxonomic tree] [List Species] [Google] [Google scholar] [Google images]
		Citation: Perrin, W. (2013). Physeteridae. In: Perrin, W.F. (2013) World Cetacea Database. Accessed through: Perrin, W.F. (2013) World Cetacea Database at http://www.marinespecies.org/cetacea/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=136985 on 2013-05-25