The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™
ISSN 2307-8235 (online)
IUCN 2008: T41760A10557014
Mesoplodon traversii, Spade-toothed Whale
Assessment by: Taylor, B.L., Baird, R., Barlow, J., Dawson, S.M., Ford, J., Mead,
J.G., Notarbartolo di Sciara, G., Wade, P. & Pitman, R.L.
View on www.iucnredlist.org
Citation: Taylor, B.L., Baird, R., Barlow, J., Dawson, S.M., Ford, J., Mead, J.G., Notarbartolo di Sciara,
G., Wade, P. & Pitman, R.L. 2008. Mesoplodon traversii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
2008: e.T41760A10557014. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T41760A10557014.en
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THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Cetartiodactyla
Ziphiidae
Taxon Name: Mesoplodon traversii (Gray, 1874)
Synonym(s):
• Mesoplodon bahamondi
Common Name(s):
• English:
• French:
• Spanish:
Spade-toothed Whale, Bahamondi's Beaked Whale, Traver's Beaked Whale
Mésoplodon De Bahamonde, Mésoplodon De Travers
Zifio De Bahamonde, Zifio De Travers
Taxonomic Notes:
In 1996, a new species of beaked whale was described as Mesoplodon bahamondi (Reyes et al. 1996).
However, further study showed that it was actually the same as a previously-described beaked whale
that had long been considered synonymous with the Strap-toothed Beaked Whale (M. layardii). As the
senior synonym, Mesoplodon traversii (Gray, 1874) was found to be the proper scientific name of the
species (van Helden et al. 2002).
Assessment Information
Red List Category & Criteria:
Data Deficient ver 3.1
Year Published:
2008
Date Assessed:
June 30, 2008
Justification:
There is no information on abundance or trends in global abundance for this species. As a relatively
uncommon species it is potentially vulnerable to low-level threats and a 30% global reduction over three
generations cannot be ruled out (criterion A).
Previously Published Red List Assessments
2003 – Not Evaluated (NE)
Geographic Range
Range Description:
The three specimens so far examined have come from New Zealand (White Island and the Chatham
Islands [Pitt Island]), and Chile (Robinson Crusoe Island in the Juan Fernandez Archipelago). Therefore,
this is probably a southern Hemisphere (possibly circum-Antarctic) species. However, it may be much
more widely-distributed, and until more records are available, this will remain unknown (van Helden et
al. 2002).
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Mesoplodon traversii – published in 2008.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T41760A10557014.en
1
Country Occurrence:
Native: Chile (Juan Fernández Is.); New Zealand (Chatham Is., North Is.)
FAO Marine Fishing Areas:
Native: Pacific - southeast, Pacific - southwest
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Mesoplodon traversii – published in 2008.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T41760A10557014.en
2
Distribution Map
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Mesoplodon traversii – published in 2008.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T41760A10557014.en
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Population
There is no information on abundance of this species. However, it is probable that it is relatively rare,
given the small number of records of its occurrence so far discovered.
Current Population Trend: Unknown
Habitat and Ecology (see Appendix for additional information)
Nothing is known of the habitat of this species. Nothing is known of the diet, but it is assumed that
squid are the main prey.
Systems: Marine
Threats (see Appendix for additional information)
Direct hunting has never been associated with this species. Entanglement in fishing gear, especially
gillnets is probably the most significant threat.
This species, like other beaked whales, is likely to be vulnerable to loud anthropogenic sounds, such as
those generated by navy sonar and seismic exploration (Cox et al. 2006).
As a species potentially limited to temperate waters, the spade-toothed whale may be vulnerable to the
effects of climate change as ocean warming may result in a shift or contraction of the species range as it
tracks the occurrence of its preferred water temperatures (Learmonth et al. 2006). The effect of such
changes in range size or position on this species is unknown.
Evidence from stranded individuals of several similar species indicates that they have swallowed
discarded plastic items, which may eventually lead to death (e.g. Scott et al. 2001); this species may also
be at risk.
Conservation Actions (see Appendix for additional information)
The species is listed in Appendix II of CITES. Research is needed to determine the impacts of potential
threatening processes on this species.
Credits
Assessor(s):
Taylor, B.L., Baird, R., Barlow, J., Dawson, S.M., Ford, J., Mead, J.G., Notarbartolo di
Sciara, G., Wade, P. & Pitman, R.L.
Reviewer(s):
Hammond, P.S. & Perrin, W.F. (Cetacean Red List Authority)
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Mesoplodon traversii – published in 2008.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T41760A10557014.en
4
Bibliography
Balcomb, K. C. and Claridge, D. E. 2001. A mass stranding of cetaceans caused by naval sonar in the
Bahamas. Bahamas Journal of Science 8(2): 2-12.
Cox, T. M., Ragen, T. J., Read, A. J., Vos, E., Baird, R. W., Balcomb, K., Barlow, J., Caldwell, J., Cranford, T.,
Crum, L., D'Amico, A., D'Spain, A., Fernández, J., Finneran, J., Gentry, R., Gerth, W., Gulland, F.,
Hildebrand, J., Houser, D., Hullar, T., Jepson, P. D., Ketten, D., Macleod, C. D., Miller, P., Moore, S.,
Mountain, D., Palka, D., Ponganis, P., Rommel, S., Rowles, T., Taylor, B., Tyack, P., Wartzok, D., Gisiner, R.,
Mead, J. and Benner, L. 2006. Understanding the impacts of anthropogenic sound on beaked whales.
Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 7(3): 177-187.
Fernández, A., Edwards, J. F., Rodriguez, F., Espinosa, A., De Los Monteros, Herraez, P., Castro, P., Jaber, J.
R., Martin, V. and Arebelo, M. 2005. "Gas and fat embolic syndrome" involving a mass stranding of
beaked whales (family Ziphiidae) exposed to anthropogenic sonar signals. Veterinary Pathology 42: 446457.
Gomercic, H., Gomercic, M. D., Gomericic, T., Lucic, H., Dalebout, M., Galov, A., Skrtic, D., Curkovic, S.,
Vukovic, S. and Huber, D. 2006. Biological aspects of Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) recorded
in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea. European Journal of Wildlife Research 52(3): 182-187.
IUCN. 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org.
(Accessed: 5 October 2008).
Jepson, P. D., Arebelo, M., Deaville, R., Patterson, I. A. P., Castro, P., Baker, J. R., Degollada, E., Ross, H. M.,
Herraez, P., Pocknell, A. M., Rodriguez, F., Howie, F. E., Espinosa, A., Reid, R. J., Jaber, J. R., Martin, V.,
Cunningham, A. A. and Fernandez, A. 2003. Gas-bubble lesions in stranded cetaceans. Nature 425: 575576.
Learmonth, J.A., Macleod, C.D., Santos, M.B., Pierce, G.J., Crick, H.Q.P. and Robinson, R.A. 2006.
Potential effects of climate change on marine mammals. Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual
Review 44: 431-464.
Macleod, C. D., Perrin, W. F., Pitman, R. L., Barlow, J., Balance, L., D'amico, A., Gerrodette, T., Joyce, G.,
Mullin, K. D., Palka, D. L. and Waring, G. T. 2006. Known and inferred distributions of beaked whale
species (Ziphiidae: Cetacea). Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 7(3): 271-286.
Malakoff, D. 2002. Suit ties whale deaths to research cruise. Science 298: 722-723.
Mead, J. G. 1989. Beaked whales of the genus Mesoplodon. In: S. H. Ridgway and R. Harrison (eds),
Handbook of marine mammals, Vol. 4: River dolphins and the larger toothed whales, pp. 349-430.
Academic Press.
Reyes, J., Van Waerebeek, K., Cardenas, J. C. and Yanez, J. L. 1996. Mesoplodon bahamondi sp. n.
(Cetacea, Ziphiidae), a new living beaked whale from the Juan Fernandez Archipelago, Chile. Boletin de
Museum Nacional de History Natural, Chile 45: 31-44.
Scott, M. D., Hohn, A. A., Westgate, A. J., Nicolas, J. R., Whitaker, B. R. and Campbell, W. B. 2001. A note
on the release and tracking of a rehabilitated pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps). Journal of Cetacean
Research and Management 3(1): 87-94.
Van Helden, A. L., Baker, A. N., Dalebout, M. L., Reyes, J. C., Van Waerebeek, K. and Baker, C. S. 2002.
Resurrection of Mesoplodon traversii (Gray, 1874), senior synonym of M. bahamondi Reyes, Van
Waerebeek, Cardenas and Yanez, 1995 (Cetacea: Ziphiidae). Marine Mammal Science 18(3): 609-621.
Wang, J. Y. and Yang, S. C. 2006. Unusual cetacean stranding events of Taiwan in 2004 and 2005. Journal
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Mesoplodon traversii – published in 2008.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T41760A10557014.en
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of Cetacean Research and Management 8: 283-292.
Citation
Taylor, B.L., Baird, R., Barlow, J., Dawson, S.M., Ford, J., Mead, J.G., Notarbartolo di Sciara, G., Wade, P. &
Pitman, R.L. 2008. Mesoplodon traversii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2008:
e.T41760A10557014. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T41760A10557014.en
Disclaimer
To make use of this information, please check the Terms of Use.
External Resources
For Images and External Links to Additional Information, please see the Red List website.
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Mesoplodon traversii – published in 2008.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T41760A10557014.en
6
Appendix
Habitats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Habitat
Season
Suitability
Major
Importance?
10. Marine Oceanic -> 10.1. Marine Oceanic - Epipelagic (0-200m)
-
Marginal
-
10. Marine Oceanic -> 10.2. Marine Oceanic - Mesopelagic (200-1000m)
-
Suitable
Yes
10. Marine Oceanic -> 10.3. Marine Oceanic - Bathypelagic (1000-4000m)
-
Suitable
Yes
Threats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Threat
Timing
Scope
Severity
Impact Score
5. Biological resource use -> 5.4. Fishing & harvesting
aquatic resources -> 5.4.3. Unintentional effects:
(subsistence/small scale)
Ongoing
-
-
-
Stresses:
2. Species Stresses -> 2.1. Species mortality
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
2. Species Stresses -> 2.1. Species mortality
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
2. Species Stresses -> 2.1. Species mortality
2. Species Stresses -> 2.2. Species disturbance
Future
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
2. Species Stresses -> 2.2. Species disturbance
9. Pollution -> 9.4. Garbage & solid waste
9. Pollution -> 9.6. Excess energy -> 9.6.3. Noise
pollution
11. Climate change & severe weather -> 11.1. Habitat
shifting & alteration
-
-
-
-
-
-
Conservation Actions in Place
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Conservation Actions in Place
In-Place Education
Included in international legislation: Yes
Subject to any international management/trade controls: Yes
Research Needed
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Mesoplodon traversii – published in 2008.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T41760A10557014.en
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Research Needed
1. Research -> 1.2. Population size, distribution & trends
1. Research -> 1.3. Life history & ecology
1. Research -> 1.5. Threats
3. Monitoring -> 3.1. Population trends
Additional Data Fields
Population
Population severely fragmented: No
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Mesoplodon traversii – published in 2008.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T41760A10557014.en
8
The IUCN Red List Partnership
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is produced and managed by the IUCN Global Species
Programme, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and The IUCN Red List Partnership. The IUCN
Red List Partners are: BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; Conservation
International; Microsoft; NatureServe; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Sapienza University of Rome; Texas
A&M University; Wildscreen; and Zoological Society of London.
THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™