Kogia breviceps - Pygmy Sperm Whale

Stranded pygmy sperm whale

Ink cloud to distract predators

Much like its relative the dwarf sperm whale, pygmy sperm whales are seldom seen alive and most of what is known about them comes from animals which have stranded, and even these a rare. They are bigger than the dwarfs, growing up to around 3.5 metres in length and about 400kg. There are a lot of similarities between dwarfs and pygmies, including the spermaceti organ, and the fact that they emit a form of inky solution as a defense mechanism when threatened. Like all toothed whales they use echolocation to hunt for prey, but an interesting element of their brains is that they contain large amounts of magnetite crystals, which may allow them to sense magnetic fields and thus navigate the seas. 

Bioluminescent glass squid
a favourite food

Skull showing sharp teeth

They have between 20 and 32 very sharp teeth on their lower jaws and live of a diet of cephalopods, especially bioluminescent squid, though other squid, octopus and even shrimps. compared with dwarfs they eat very few fish. They themselves are occasionally eaten by orca and killer whales. Being so rare and little known, I have yet to find any stories, poems or other art inspired by either the dwarf or the pygmy sperm whale. I hope that will change. There is a short news item on a stranded whale here, but otherwise very little footage or other recordings.