Deraniyagala's beaked whale
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SPECIES
Mesoplodon hotaula

Deraniyagala's beaked whale (Mesoplodon hotaula ) is a species of mesoplodont whale.

Distribution

Geography

Deraniyagala's beaked whale is known from only seven individuals that have stranded themselves on beaches of various islands in the Indian and South Pacific Oceans: Seychelles, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Gilbert Islands, Kiribati and Line Islands. It is thought that, like Cuvier's beaked whale, they live in insular populations (isolated communities).

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A potential sighting occurred in the South China Sea in May 2019, although it was possible the sighted whales were ginkgo-toothed beaked whales.

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Diet and Nutrition

Like other mesoplodont whales, it is thought that Deraniyagala's whale feeds mainly on deep-sea squid-and-fish.

Population

Conservation

Ocean debris has been mentioned as a possible threat for Deraniyagala's beaked whales. The individuals suspected to be members of the species sighted in 2019 had unusual indentations on the lips, which researchers believed could have been caused by marine debris or fishing line. Additionally, a stranded individual was found in on a beach in the Philippines in 2012, and died shortly after it was found. Further examination revealed that the whale had only a black rope and a piece of coal in its stomach. Researchers believed that the consumption of these items could have led to the whale's death.

References

1. Deraniyagala's beaked whale Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deraniyagala's_beaked_whale
2. Deraniyagala's beaked whale on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/127826787/182525770

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