Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family |
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Animalia | Chordata | Mammalia | Cetartiodactyla | Ziphiidae |
Scientific Name: | Mesoplodon traversii (Gray, 1874) | |||||||||
Common Name(s):
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Synonym(s): |
Mesoplodon bahamondi Reyes, Van Waerebeek, Cardenas & Yáñez, 1996
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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). |
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). |
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 occurrence: | Native: Chile (Juan Fernández Is.); New Zealand (Chatham Is., North Is.) |
FAO Marine Fishing Areas: | Native: Pacific – southeast; Pacific – southwest |
Additional data: | |
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Range Map: | Click here to open the map viewer and explore range. |
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. | ||
Current Population Trend: | ![]() | ||
Additional data: |
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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 |
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: | 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. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2008: e.T41760A10557014. . Downloaded on 24 April 2018. |
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