#mesoplodon

I have this tiny little sketchbook lying around. It has 11 pages, you used to get it when you stayed at a certain hotel. I was reminded of it because I recently saw Avatar: Fire and Ash, and I remembered it contained a drawing of an Ikran which I still like. But honestly I love all of these. Especially the psychedelic killer whale, the common dolphin meeting a fin whale and the humpback staring into your soul.

Deraniyagala's beaked whale (Mesoplodon hotaula)

M. hotaula, like many other beaked whales, is not well researched. This whale is one of the least well known whale species, with only ~7 live sightings. They inhabit the South China Sea. M. hotaula use a complex system of clicking noises to communicate and hunt prey.

Named after the bizarre teeth, and Edgar Leopold Layard, the curator of the South African Museum, who sent drawings of a skull to the British taxonomist John Edward Gray, who described the species in 1865.

Largest of the Mesoplodons, growing to 6.2m in length, despite the fact that the strap-like tusks stop them opening their jaws more than 3cm. At least the females aren't so encumbered. It seems certain the teeth are used in male-male combat, but the only actual damage comes from a small spike on the tip of the teeth.

Sporadic strandings and sightings suggest the whale is widespread in the Southern Ocean, although one individual did show up in Myanmar in 2011.

Mostly a squid-feeder, caught by suction feeding. Hunted by orca, and harmed by sonar.

Between her dreams and oxygen / the end is all she ever asked