Andrews, 1908 - Andrews' beaked whale
Distinctive Characteristics
The external appearance of Andrews' beaked whale is poorly known; however, its skeleton is similar to that of Hubbs' beaked whale. Adult males are all dark, except for the front half of the beak, which is white.
The flattened tusks of males of this species emerge from the middle of the lower jaw on raised sockets, and protrude above the upper jaw.
Can be confused with
The teeth of bulls, if seen well, will allow Andrews' beaked whale to be distinguished from most other Mesoplodon species. They are most likely to be mistaken for Blainville's beaked whale, but lack the arched lower jaw.
Size
Females reach at least 4.6 m in length and males reach 4.7 m. Length at birth is presumed to be about 2 m.
Geographical Distribution
To date, Andrews' beaked whale is known only from the South Pacific and Indian oceans. Strandings have occurred in Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, and the Kerguelen Islands.
Biology and Behaviour
Essentially nothing is known of the biology of this species, other than the few facts that have been gleaned from stranded individuals.
Exploitation
No exploitation of this species is known.
IUCN Status
Insufficiently known.