Sperm whale

• The sperm whale has a unique spermaceti organ found only in sperm whales. In the common sperm whale, it is more developed than in pygmy sperm whales and makes up to 90% of the head's weight.
• The sperm whale is the only whale whose throat theoretically allows it to swallow a human whole without chewing. It is the only species capable of doing so.
• The sperm whale's voice is one of the loudest among animals, as some of its sounds reach up to 236 decibels at a micropascal per meter. The blue whale's call can exceed 188 decibels.
• A newborn sperm whale, 3–4 meters long and weighing about a ton, can swim alongside its mother immediately after birth, staying close to her.
• Squid suction cups leave round marks up to 20 cm in diameter on the sperm whale's skin. The largest known squid had suction cups no larger than 5 cm in diameter.
• The sperm whale's brain is the largest among all animals, reaching up to 7.8 kg. The heart of a 13-meter sperm whale weighed 126 kg.
• A squid weighing more than 110 kg and measuring 2.64 meters was found in the stomach of a sperm whale off southern Australia.
• The largest squids of the genus Architeuthis reach up to 17.4 meters in length. The largest known specimen, described in 1887 in New Zealand, was 17.4 meters long.
• The sperm whale’s intestine is the longest in the entire animal world, and in relation to body length, it is also one of the longest among animals. Its length is 15–16 times greater than body length; such a large difference exists only in some dolphins.
• The sperm whale dives to a depth of up to 2 km and can remain underwater for up to 1.5 hours. This is the deepest dive among all marine mammals.
• The calls of young sperm whales differ greatly from those of adults in both sound repertoire and acoustic frequency. Sperm whales have better sensitivity to low-frequency sounds than baleen whales.
• The fossil sperm whale Livyatan melvillei had teeth up to 36 cm long with a diameter of 12 cm. Its body length ranged from 13.5 to 17.5 m, which is even slightly smaller than that of the modern sperm whale.
• The sperm whale can stun its prey with loud clicks. Scientists suggest this, but some researchers are doubtful.
• The size difference between male and female sperm whales is the greatest among cetaceans. Females grow up to 11, rarely 13 m and weigh up to 15 tons.
• In old male sperm whales, the head makes up to one-third of body length, sometimes even 35%. In females, it is smaller, but still accounts for about a quarter of body length.
• The sperm whale eats giant squids, which it encounters at great depths. Giant squids play an important role in its diet.
• Female cachalots live only in warm waters where the temperature does not drop below 15 degrees. They usually do not swim further than 40 degrees north and south latitude.
• The lower jaw of the cachalot has grooves for teeth, and usually 20–26 pairs of large teeth fit into them. Sometimes there are fewer teeth—eight pairs.
• The cachalot uses echolocation as a hunting weapon, directing ultrasonic signals forward using the spermaceti sac. Intense signals can disrupt the coordination of large cephalopods, making them easier to catch.
• In 1820, a cachalot sank a 230-ton ship by headbutting it. This happened to the American whaling ship "Essex," which was attacked twice.
• Spermaceti allows the cachalot to feed at depth with minimal energy expenditure. Substances in its composition provide the optimal melting temperature needed for this function.
• The spermaceti sac of the cachalot weighs up to 11 tons. In females and young whales, the head is more compressed and pointed than in adult males.
• During echolocation, the cachalot uses not only clicks but also humming. Studies from 2006 showed that the sequence of signals is highly complex.
• The cachalot swallows prey whole without chewing; large prey may be torn into several pieces. Small squids enter the stomach undamaged.
• The white color of the sperm whale's skin attracts squids due to luminous bacteria that colonize the white areas. In the dark, squids willingly swim toward the glowing spot.
• Large squids and octopuses remain alive in the whale's stomach for some time. Traces of their suction cups are found on the inner surface of the whale's stomach.
• The sperm whale stores a large oxygen reserve in its muscles, where it has 8–9 times more myoglobin than land animals. Its muscles contain 41% oxygen, while lungs contain only 9%.
• The sperm whale's lungs are half the size relative to body volume compared to land animals, so excess nitrogen does not accumulate in its body. Its blood plasma has a high ability to dissolve nitrogen, preventing gas from forming microbubbles.
• A female sperm whale can simultaneously hold up to 45 liters of milk in her mammary glands. By three years old, a sperm whale reaches a length of 8 m.
• The sperm whale's spout has a distinctive shape, different from other whales. The spout of the sperm whale is directed forward and upward at an angle, while in other whales it is vertical.
• Ambergris is secreted by the sperm whale due to irritation of the mucous membranes by the horny beaks of swallowed squids. In pieces of ambergris, one can always find many undigested cephalopod beaks.
• Sperm whales do not make long migrations between hemispheres. In the Northern Hemisphere, five main populations of these whales are identified.
• Sperm whales may hunt in groups of 10–15 individuals, driving prey into dense groups. During this, the whales show a high level of interaction.
• Natural mortality in sperm whales is associated with atherosclerosis, stomach ulcers, and bone necrosis. Bone tissue necrosis may occur from the penetration of microscopic nitrogen bubbles during decompression when the whale ascends from depth.
• Sperm whales consume about 12 million tons of cephalopods annually in the Southern Ocean. An adult sperm whale needs to eat about a ton of cephalopods per day for normal nutrition.
• Sperm whales feed on only 7 squid species, 3 of which make up 60% of their diet. Numerous small squids from the Far East seas are not found in the stomachs of sperm whales.
• Male sperm whales weigh on average about 40 tons, but some reach 70 tons. In the past, their weight could approach 100 tons.
• Sperm whales in the Gulf of Mexico do not include squid from the Far East waters in their diet. Instead, they consume cephalopods weighing from 100 g to 10 kg.
• The air chambers of the sperm whale are filled with spongy tissue containing spermaceti. When viewed from the front, the chambers have the shape of a trapezoid widening upward.
• The sperm whale uses ultrasound for orientation in the dark depths. It also uses this method to hunt, diving as deep as 2200 m.
• The sperm whale's pulse drops to 10 beats per minute during deep dives, and blood stops flowing to the fins, skin, and tail. Muscles release hidden oxygen reserves into the blood.
• The sperm whale's scapula is narrow and has a large coracoid process, unlike baleen whales, which have a fan-shaped scapula. A narrow scapula with a large coracoid process is characteristic of the sperm whale.
• The sperm whale holds the record among mammals for the shortest total sleep time, sleeping about 7% of the time. During sleep, both brain hemispheres stop being active at the same time.
• Male sperm whales often fight, inflicting serious injuries with their teeth, frequently damaging and even breaking jaws. During mating, they form harems and display increased aggression.
• Spermaceti in the sperm whale is lighter than water in any state, even at temperatures of 30 °C, 37 °C, and 40 °C. Its density at 30 °C is about 0.857 g/cm³, and at 40 °C — 0.850 g/cm³.
• The spermaceti organ helps the sperm whale maintain the necessary buoyancy during dives. It is also used as an acoustic lens in ultrasonic echolocation.
• The sperm whale's blowhole has the shape of an elongated Latin letter S and is formed only by the left nostril. It is shifted to the left front corner of the head.
• The teeth of the sperm whale are uniform, heavy, and enamelless, each weighing about 1 kilogram. There may be only 1–3 pairs on the upper jaw, and often they are not visible at all due to the gums.
• The sperm whale inhales air into the right nasal passage, using it as a reserve for diving. The entrance to the right nostril is closed by a valve, keeping the air in the sac-like expansion.
• The lower jaw of the sperm whale can open vertically downward by 90 degrees. The mouth cavity is lined with rough epithelium, preventing prey from slipping away.
• Sperm whales are polygamous; during mating, males form harems — 10–15 females stay near one male. Females over 40 years old rarely participate in reproduction.
• The sperm whale can damage cables at depths up to 2200 meters. This record was registered in 1951 off the southern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.
• Sperm whales in different groups use different sound markers, allowing the existence of "dialects" in the "language" of sperm whales. In 81% of the time during the diving phase and 64% during the surfacing phase, they emit "clicks.
• The breeding seasons of sperm whales in the northern and southern hemispheres differ by 6 months. Notably, all biological rhythms, including breeding, of sperm whales in the northern and southern hemispheres differ by approximately 6 months.
• A layered wax-like substance — ambergris — forms in the digestive tract of sperm whales. Ambergris has a complex layered structure and a gray color.
• The sperm whale gets tangled in a deep-sea cable and cannot escape. It wraps the cable so tightly with its tail and lower jaw that it cannot break free.
• Foreign objects are often found in the stomachs of sperm whales, such as rubber boots, children's toys, and fishing floats. Marine birds may also be found there accidentally.
• The species name catodon caused scientific disputes due to an unclear description. There is no doubt that macrocephalus refers to the sperm whale.
• Male sperm whales in summer habitats form groups called "bachelor herds," depending on age and size. These groups usually consist of animals of similar size.
• The head of the sperm whale has a rectangular shape and is called a "freight car." The front edge of the massive head, viewed from the side, forms a straight line slightly sloping downward and backward.
• Sperm whale groups form by size to efficiently hunt food at different depths. It appears that feeding sperm whales swim slower than baleen whales.
• Sperm whales can live up to 77 years, which is one of the highest known lifespans among cetaceans. Some data indicate that the maximum age reached 77 years, and many individuals live to 60 years.
• The skin of the sperm whale has a marbled appearance due to scratches and scars from the suction cups of giant squids and the teeth of conspecifics. This pattern is especially noticeable on the head of older individuals.