2007-06-11 15:41:06 · 11 answers · asked by DIONTE J 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The sperm whale is a toothed whale that lives in pods. It has a huge brain that weighs about 20 pounds (9 kg); it is the largest brain of any animal. The sperm whale has a single blowhole that is s-shaped and about 20 inches long. The blowhole is located on the left side of the front if its huge head. The sperm whale has a 4-12 inch thick layer of blubber.
Sperm whales produce ambergris, a dark, waxy substance (related to cholesterol) that is produced in the lower intestines, and is sometimes found containing squid beaks. Ambergris may help protect the sperm whale from the stings on the giant squid, its major food. Large lumps of ambergris may be vomited up by the sperm whale.
The fictional Moby Dik was a sperm whale.
SIZE
Sperm whales are the largest toothed whales. Adult males grow to be about 50-60 feet (17-20 m) long, weighing about 40-50 tons (36-45 tonnes). Females are smaller, about 33-40 feet (11-13 m) long, weighing about 14-18 tons. The four-chambered heart of the average sperm whale weighs about 277 pounds (126 kg) - about as much as two average adult human beings.
SKIN, SHAPE AND FINS
The skin is usually dark gray to black, but is occasionally light gray. It has a distinctive, prune-like texture.
Sperm whales have the largest head of any animal. It can be about 20 feet long (6 m), 10 feet high (3 m), and 7 feet (2.1 m) across, and is about one-third of the whale's body length. The head has a distinctive box-like shape. The heads are frequently covered with circular scars that are made by the suckers of the giant squid that they hunt and eat.
It has 5-foot (1.5 m) long flippers that are about 3 feet (0.9 m) wide. There is no dorsal fin but there is a small hump two-thirds of the way down its back. There are also some ridges between the hump and the tail flukes.
THE NAME
The sperm whale was named for the valuable spermaceti oil (wax) that this whale produces in the spermaceti organ (located in its head).
FOR MORE INFO GO TO
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/whales/species/Spermwhale.shtml
2007-06-11 15:48:59 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The blue whale is the biggest animal in the world (it may be the largest animal to have ever lived on earth). It can be 108 feet long and weigh 150 tons.
The sperm whale is the largest toothed whale. It can be 60 feet long and weigh 45 tons.
2007-06-11 15:51:32 · answer #2 · answered by Sai 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The biggest animal in the world (and in history) is the blue whale. Look it up on wikipedia for more information (generally a very good site by the way).
2007-06-11 15:46:57 · answer #3 · answered by Stephen L 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, the blue whale is the biggest animal in the world. Google it.
2007-06-11 15:44:01 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No the sperm whale is not the biggest animal in the world, the whale shark is the biggest mammal in the world and it's about 57ft long
2007-06-11 15:44:15 · answer #5 · answered by Troi G 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No it isn't the biggest animal. It is 18 meters long(60 feet) and weighs about 50 tons. Their brain is the heaviest in the world aswell, weighing 15 pounds.
2007-06-11 15:45:56 · answer #6 · answered by Mad Hatter 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. The blue whale but a sperm whale is pretty big.
2016-05-17 22:37:14 · answer #7 · answered by roberta 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's the blue whale.
2007-06-11 15:43:37 · answer #8 · answered by fall_guy123 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure about that or even the blue whale what about loch ness monster.
2007-06-11 15:47:28 · answer #9 · answered by william w 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is 50-60 feet long and weights about 40-50 tons.
it has the largest head of any animal.
and yes i think it is the largest animal in the world.
2007-06-11 15:47:57 · answer #10 · answered by none of our buisssness 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋