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Records of beaked whales (family Ziphiidae) in Western Australian waters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 May 2014

Christine J. Groom ,
Douglas K. Coughran  and
Holly C. Smith
Christine J. Groom
Affiliation:
Species and Communities Branch, Department of Parks and Wildlife, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, Western Australia, 6983, Australia
Douglas K. Coughran*
Affiliation:
Nature Protection Branch, Department of Parks and Wildlife, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, Western Australia, 6983, Australia
Holly C. Smith
Affiliation:
Marine Science Program, Department of Parks and Wildlife, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, Western Australia, 6983, Australia
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: D.K. Coughran, Department of Parks and Wildlife, Locked Bag 104 Bentley Delivery Centre WA 6983, Australia email: douglas.coughran@dpaw.wa.gov.au
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Abstract

Western Australia has an extensive coastline extending 12889 km (excluding islands) from latitude 35 degrees in the south to 14 degrees in the north. The extensive coastline intersects the distribution of many species of beaked whale. A total of 74 Ziphiidae were recorded as stranded along the Western Australian coast between 1940 and 2010 (70 years). Ten of the 21 species of beaked whales currently recognized taxonomically worldwide have been observed in Western Australia with True's beaked whale Mesoplodon mirus and Shepherd's beaked whale Tasmacetus shepherdi recorded more than elsewhere in Australia. Western Australia has the highest species diversity (10) of beaked whale strandings compared to other Australian states and regions. Gray's beaked whale, Mesoplodon grayi, was the most commonly reported species (33 records) and had the largest mass stranding group size (seven) of the beaked whales stranded in Western Australia. The records presented in this paper confirm the distribution of Arnoux's beaked whale Berardius arnuxii, strap-toothed beaked whale Mesoplodon layardii, Shepherd's beaked whale, Blainville's beaked whale Mesoplodon densirostris in Western Australian waters. The records presented of True's beaked whale confirm its presence in Australian waters, with Western Australia a possible key location for this species. Factors causing strandings and death should be investigated in future wherever possible, particularly the rostral injuries reported for six beaked whales. Beaked whale species identification should be confirmed through genetic analysis in future to maximize certainty of species identification.

Keywords

beaked whaledistributionstrandingWestern AustraliaZiphiidaerostrum injury
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 7 , 2014 , e50
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2014 

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