Mesoplodon traversii

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	CETARTIODACTYLA	ZIPHIIDAE

Scientific Name:

Mesoplodon traversii

Species Authority:

(Gray, 1874)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Spade-toothed Whale, Traver's Beaked Whale, Bahamondi's Beaked Whale
French	–	Mésoplodon De Bahamonde, Mésoplodon De Travers
Spanish	–	Zifio De Bahamonde, Zifio De Travers

Synonym/s:

Mesoplodon bahamondi Reyes, Van Waerebeek, Cardenas & Yáñez, 1996

Taxonomic Notes:

In 1996, a new species of beaked whale was described as Mesoplodon bahamondi (Reyes et al. 1996). However, further study showed that it was actually the same as a previously-described beaked whale that had long been considered synonymous with the Strap-toothed Beaked Whale (M. layardii). As the senior synonym, Mesoplodon traversii (Gray, 1874) was found to be the proper scientific name of the species (van Helden et al. 2002).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Data Deficient ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Date Assessed:

2008-06-30

Assessor/s:

Taylor, B.L., Baird, R., Barlow, J., Dawson, S.M., Ford, J., Mead, J.G., Notarbartolo di Sciara, G., Wade, P. & Pitman, R.L.

Reviewer/s:

Hammond, P.S. & Perrin, W.F. (Cetacean Red List Authority)

Justification:
There is no information on abundance or trends in global abundance for this species. As a relatively uncommon species it is potentially vulnerable to low-level threats and a 30% global reduction over three generations cannot be ruled out (criterion A).

History:

2003	–	Not Evaluated (IUCN 2003)
2003	–	Not Evaluated

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	The three specimens so far examined have come from New Zealand (White Island and the Chatham Islands [Pitt Island]), and Chile (Robinson Crusoe Island in the Juan Fernandez Archipelago). Therefore, this is probably a southern Hemisphere (possibly circum-Antarctic) species. However, it may be much more widely-distributed, and until more records are available, this will remain unknown (van Helden et al. 2002).
Countries:	Native: Chile (Juan Fernández Is.); New Zealand (Chatham Is., North Is.)
FAO Marine Fishing Areas:	Native: Pacific – southeast; Pacific – southwest
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	There is no information on abundance of this species. However, it is probable that it is relatively rare, given the small number of records of its occurrence so far discovered.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Nothing is known of the habitat of this species. Nothing is known of the diet, but it is assumed that squid are the main prey.
Systems:	Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Direct hunting has never been associated with this species. Entanglement in fishing gear, especially gillnets is probably the most significant threat. This species, like other beaked whales, is likely to be vulnerable to loud anthropogenic sounds, such as those generated by navy sonar and seismic exploration (Cox et al. 2006). As a species potentially limited to temperate waters, the spade-toothed whale may be vulnerable to the effects of climate change as ocean warming may result in a shift or contraction of the species range as it tracks the occurrence of its preferred water temperatures (Learmonth et al. 2006). The effect of such changes in range size or position on this species is unknown. Evidence from stranded individuals of several similar species indicates that they have swallowed discarded plastic items, which may eventually lead to death (e.g. Scott et al. 2001); this species may also be at risk.

Major Threat(s):

Direct hunting has never been associated with this species. Entanglement in fishing gear, especially gillnets is probably the most significant threat.

This species, like other beaked whales, is likely to be vulnerable to loud anthropogenic sounds, such as those generated by navy sonar and seismic exploration (Cox et al. 2006).

As a species potentially limited to temperate waters, the spade-toothed whale may be vulnerable to the effects of climate change as ocean warming may result in a shift or contraction of the species range as it tracks the occurrence of its preferred water temperatures (Learmonth et al. 2006). The effect of such changes in range size or position on this species is unknown.

Evidence from stranded individuals of several similar species indicates that they have swallowed discarded plastic items, which may eventually lead to death (e.g. Scott et al. 2001); this species may also be at risk.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	The species is listed in Appendix II of CITES. Research is needed to determine the impacts of potential threatening processes on this species.

Conservation Actions:

The species is listed in Appendix II of CITES. Research is needed to determine the impacts of potential threatening processes on this species.

Citation:	Taylor, B.L., Baird, R., Barlow, J., Dawson, S.M., Ford, J., Mead, J.G., Notarbartolo di Sciara, G., Wade, P. & Pitman, R.L. 2008. Mesoplodon traversii. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 11 March 2014.
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