Ziphius cavirostris
Cuvier's beaked whale .This animal most widely distributed of all the beaked whales . This animal is the only member of the genus Ziphius . Another common name for the species is goose-beaked whale because its head is said to be shaped like the beak of a goose . Georges Cuvier first described it in 1823 from part of a skull found in France in 1804. He thought it represented an extinct species it wasn't until the 1870s that it was realized the type specimen represented a living species. The Ziphius cavirostris, also known as the Cuvier's beaked whale, is a species of beaked whale found in deep waters around the world. They are known to be elusive and difficult to study due to their deep-diving habits and remote habitats. The Ziphius cavirostris is a medium-sized beaked whale, typically reaching lengths of about 7-8 meters (23-26 feet) and weigh around 6-7 tons. They have a dark gray to brown coloration on their dorsal side and a lighter gray on their ventral side. The...