The sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus, is a marine mammal species, order Cetacea, a toothed whale (odontocete) having the largest brain of any animal. The name comes from the milky-white waxy substance, spermaceti, found in the animal's head. The sperm whale is the only living member of genus Physeter. The synonym Physeter catodon refers to the same species. It is one of three extant species in the sperm whale superfamily, along with the pygmy sperm whale and dwarf sperm whale.A bull can grow to 20.5 metres (67 ft) long. It is the largest living toothed animal. The head can take up to one-third of the animal's length. It has a cosmopolitan distribution across the oceans. The species feeds on squid and fish, diving as deep as 3 kilometres (9,800 ft), which makes it the deepest diving mammal.
Ten Facts about Sperm Whale
- Its diet includes giant squid and colossal squid.
- The sperm whale's clicking vocalization is the loudest sound produced by any animal, but its functions are uncertain.
- These whales live in groups called pods.
- The sperm whale is the largest toothed whale, with adult males measuring up to 20.5 metres (67 ft) long and weighing up to 57,000 kilograms.
- The sperm whale has 20 to 26 teeth on each side of its lower jaw. The teeth are cone-shaped and weigh up to 1 kilogram (2.2 lb).
- The brain is the largest known of any modern or extinct animal, weighing on average about 8 kilograms (18 lb).
- Sperm whales can live 70 years or more.
- Gestation requires 14 to 16 months, producing a single calf.
- Females reach sexual maturity between 7 and 13 years, males follow beginning at 18 years.
- Males reach their full size at about age 50.
