Sperm Whale.
Sperm Whale.
New Zealand
Sperm Whale Facts
The sperm whale (physeter macrocephalus) is a toothed whale and is part of the cetacean species, which also include dolphins and porpoises.
The sperm whale is the largest of the toothed whales and can grow to be as long as 67 ft.
They also have the largest brain out of any animal known to exist.
The name sperm whale comes from the spermaceti organ which is located in its head.
The organ produces a white waxy substance that was originally mistaken for sperm by early whalers.
While the role spermaceti plays is still not fully understood, in the past it was used by commercial companies to make various oils and products such as(transmission fluid, motor oil additives, pharmaceuticals and detergents) during the whaling era. Original public domain image from Flickr