Marine Biology

, Volume 104, Issue 1, pp 1–4 | Cite as

Cephalopod remains from the stomach of a sperm whale stranded off Patagonia

  • P. L. Pascoe
  • M. C. Mickiewicz
  • H. P. Castello
Article
Accepted:

Abstract

The stomach of a male sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) stranded near Comodoro Rivadavia, Argentina, on 21 March 1986, contained 247 cephalopod beaks (128 upper and 119 lower). The lower beaks were identified, their rostral lengths were measured and used to estimate the mantle lengths and wet weight of the representatives of each cephalopod taxon. Fifteen species from nine families were represented. The most numerous species, in order of decreasing abundance, were the large cranchiidMesonychoteuthis hamiltoni (32.8% of total numbers),Mastigoteuthis sp. A (16.0%), andKondakovia longimana andHistioteuthis atlantica (both 13.5%). Almost 85% of the estimated total weight was contributed by two species,Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni (61.6%) andK. longimana (23.1%). The presence of beaks fromK. longimana, Alluroteuthis antarcticus andM. hamiltoni, which are all thought to be restricted to the Antarctic, suggests that the whale had migrated North prior to stranding.

Keywords

Argentina Total Weight Numerous Species Sperm Whale Mantle Length 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1990

Authors and Affiliations

  • P. L. Pascoe
    • 1
  • M. C. Mickiewicz
    • 2
  • H. P. Castello
    • 3
  1. 1.Plymouth Marine LaboratoryPlymouthEngland
  2. 2.Marine Biology Secondary SchoolChubutArgentina
  3. 3.Museo Argentino de Ciencias NaturalesBuenos AiresArgentina

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