The name "sperm whale" is a clipping of "spermaceti whale". Spermaceti, originally mistakenly identified as … See more

The sperm whale is the largest toothed whale and is among the most sexually dimorphic of all cetaceans. Both sexes are about the same size at birth, but mature males are typically 30% to 50% longer and three time… See more

After Valentine Worthington and William E. Schevill confirmed the existence of sperm whale vocalization, further studies found that sperm whales are capable of emitting sounds at a volume of 230 decibels – more than an air… See more

Sperm whales are among the most cosmopolitan species. They prefer ice-free waters over 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) deep. Although both sexes range through temperate and tropical oceans and seas, only adult … See more

Sperm whales can live 70 years or more. They are a prime example of a species that has been K-selected, meaning their reproductive strategy is associated with stable environmental conditions and comprises … See more

Like elephants, females and their young live in matriarchal groups called pods, while bulls live apart. Bulls sometimes form loose bachelor groups with other males of similar age and size. As they grow older, they typically liv… See more

Although the fossil record is poor, several extinct genera have been assigned to the clade Physeteroidea, which includes the last common ancestor of the modern sperm whale, pygmy sperm whales, dwarf sperm whales, … See more