Long-Range Longitudinal Movements of Sperm Whales (Physeter macrocephalus) in the North Atlantic Ocean Revealed by Photo-Identification
Keith D. Mullin, Lisa A. Steiner, Charlotte Dunn, Diane Claridge, Laura González García, Jonathan Gordon, Tim Lewis
Abstract
Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are distributed throughout the world’s oceans, mainly in waters greater than 200 m (Rice, 1989). Distribution and movements of individuals associated with social structure and age/sex have been previously described (Whitehead, 2003). Generally, mature females, their calves, and immature whales of both sexes live in matrilineal social groups throughout warm temperate to tropical waters.
Topics & Concepts
Sperm whaleRange (aeronautics)Identification (biology)FisheryBiologyOceanographySpermGeographyEcologyGeologyEngineeringBotanyAerospace engineeringMyoglobinBiochemistryMarine animal studies overviewMarine and coastal plant biologyArctic and Antarctic ice dynamics