THE OLDEST SPERM WHALE (Physeter macrocephalus): NEW RECORD WITH NOTES ON AGE, DIET AND PARASITES, AND A REVIEW OF STRANDINGS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL ARGENTINE COAST

DEGRATI, M.; GARCÍA, N. A; GRANDI, M.F; LEONARDI, M. S.; LOIZAGA DE CASTRO, R.; VALES, D. G.; DANS, S.L.; PEDRAZA, S.N.; CRESPO, E.A.

MASTOZOOLOGíA NEOTROPICAL

UNIDAD DE ZOOLOGÍA Y ECOLOGÍA ANIMAL, INSTITUTO ARGENTINO DE INVESTIGACIÓN DE LAS ZONAS ARIDAS, CRICYT, CONICET

Año: 2011 vol. 18 p. 307 - 313

0327-9383

Here we present a new record of sperm whale with notes on diet, age determination and a review of strandings along the Argentine coast. A complete necropsy was made in the field, and morphometric data were taken. The specimen stranded was a mature male of 64+ years old. This is the oldest specimen determined for a sperm whale in the Southwest Atlantic coast.In the stomach contents a total of 302 cephalopod lower beaks were recovered. Cestodes were present in the blubber but parasites were not found in stomach and intestine contents. This stranding event constitutes the twelfth record for the Argentine continental coast.