Pitted Whale
Basic Information
Anatomy
The Pitted Whale is a large toothed whale species closely related to the Sperm Whale. They are similar in appearance, with small dorsal fins, massive squarish heads, and thin jaws with robust teeth.
Genetics and Reproduction
Pitted whales give birth in winter following their migrations to the Atlantic Ocean. Their calves are quite large for their size, a likely deterrent to predation from other toothed whales such as the orca. Mothers often will gang up together a few weeks after giving birth, lagging behind the rest of their pod without infants during migrations, a behavior beneficial for protecting their offspring. It is thought that other members of the pod serve as scouts for the mothers, chasing away potential predators and communicating nearby prey.
Dietary Needs and Habits
The Pitted Whale has a similar diet to its closest relative, feeding mainly on squid, fishes, octopi, jellies, and rays. They prefer bottom dwelling prey, and exploit their electrical sensing abilities to detect animals buried in the sand. Pitted whales are the main predator of the Batari Octopus when in the Atlantic Ocean. Mothers with calves are known to feed on penguins and seals, though much more rarely. This is likely due to the large size of their calves, and their extremely high demand of fat-rich milk.
Behaviour
Pitted Whales spend the majority of their time in the waters surrounding Antarctica. During late winter months, they migrate to the Atlantic for their breeding seasons, in the slightly warmer waters to give birth to their young. They will stay in the Atlantic until spring, and once more migrate back to the southern ocean.
Pods of this species can be up to 15 members of both sexes, adults and juveniles, and breeding and non-breeding members. Curiously, pods seem to be extremely loose, with only young juveniles staying close to their members. While they are in constant song to one another, the whales often will not physically interact or come into close contact unless for breeding or for protection from other predators. Curiously, they are often found quite close to sperm whale pods, and often interact with them more frequently than their own species directly. This is thought to be due to the pitted whale being able to take advantage of prey missed by the sperm whale.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Unlike other whale species, the pitted whale displays a convergent evolution with sharks- their mouths have small pits, which can sense electrical activity in their prey, even when buried in the sand and substrate of the ocean floor. Their sensing abilities are nowhere near that of sharks, but provide a significant advantage over other whale species, allowing them to exploit a niche not found in others.
Origin/Ancestry
Natural
Conservation Status
Unknown
Geographic Distribution
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