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Pygmy sperm whale

Kogia breviceps

Pygmy sperm whale

See all species The gorgeous pygmy sperm whales have only been recognized as a species since 1966. Like dwarf sperm whales, pygmy sperm whales have an unusual trick. To throw potential attackers off guard, they eject a reddish-brown cloud of intestinal fluid in the water before diving and making their escape. Other names: Lesser cachalot,…

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Pygmy sperm whale fossils shed light on whale evolution

Fossils found in Panama from a newly-discovered extinct species of pygmy sperm whale have cast new light on how modern day whales evolved. Scientists from the National History Museum in Los Angeles, writing in the scientific journal PLOS ONE, analysed the skulls of two whales found in rocks in a sea cliff. The rock layer…

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