Spade-toothed whale

The spade-toothed whale is a poorly known species of beaked whale. It is the only member of the genus Mesoplodon traversii.

The spade-toothed whale was first described in 1872 by Edward Melville, a Scottish surgeon who served on the HMS Challenger expedition. Melville named the whale after Lieutenant Frederick Travers, who collected the type specimen in New Zealand.

The spade-toothed whale is a small whale, measuring about 13 feet (4 meters) in length. It has a dark gray back and a lighter gray belly. The whale's most distinctive feature is its spade-shaped teeth, which are located on the lower jaw. The spade-toothed whale uses its teeth to crush the shells of squid, its primary food source.

The spade-toothed whale is a deep-diving whale, capable of reaching depths of over 1,000 feet (300 meters). It is a solitary animal, and little is known about its social behavior.

The spade-toothed whale is a rare whale, and it is listed as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The whale is threatened by habitat loss, pollution, and hunting.

Here are some interesting facts about the spade-toothed whale:

• The spade-toothed whale is the only beaked whale that has spade-shaped teeth.
• The spade-toothed whale is a deep-diving whale, capable of reaching depths of over 1,000 feet (300 meters).
• The spade-toothed whale is a solitary animal, and little is known about its social behavior.
• The spade-toothed whale is a rare whale, and it is listed as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).