The sperm whale is the largest toothed whale and the deepest-diving marine mammal, regularly descending beyond 1,000 m in search of squid. Adults reach around 18 m in length, with males notably larger than females. Identified by a massive, rectangular head that houses the world's largest brain, the species is vulnerable to ship strikes and remains listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. Encounters during dives are rare; sightings typically occur in deep oceanic waters.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Cetartiodactyla
- Family
- Physeteridae
- Genus
- Physeter