Origin
The casalot (Physeter macrocephalus) is a marine mammal, the largest cetacean with teeth and also the largest predator in existence. Casalots are found in most of the world's oceans from the polar waters to the equator.
In terms of classification, the species belongs to the order Cetacea, suborder Odontoceti, casalot being the only member of the Physeter family. Deep dives made to find their favorite food, squid and octopuses, brought the title of the largest diver, being discovered at over 1200 meters.
It has a varied range that extends into all the oceans of the world, casalots being found even in a few deep seas. The casalot also holds the world record for the sharpest sound. These sounds resemble clicks, but not much is known about its uses.
The name casalot can be explained in many ways. The name may come from French where "cacheau" means tooth or Portuguese where "cachola" means big head. In English, casalot is called Sperm whale de la spermanceti (spermancet = the white, wax-like fatty substance found in the head of casalot, it is also called whale wax and is used in cosmetics and in the manufacture of candles).
This is the essential substance for casalot, with the help of which it has a very high diving ability. Some say that the name of this whale comes from the French cachalot which is an archaism for the tooth.
It is also known as the sperm whale or Master of the waters.
Feed The Casalot
Like other toothed whales, casalots use echolocation to find food. They produce high frequency sounds with the help of cavities in the skull.
These sounds are reflected by the prey, practically helping the whales to locate it, as if they could see in the dark. This ability is useful to cassalots when hunting at great depth.
Their favorite prey is the legendary giant squid and its larger cousin, the colossal squid. Although the battles between these two large predators have never been directly observed, there is much evidence of them on whale leashes. Giant squid remains were found in the whales ' stomachs and suction cup marks on their skin.
Features Casalot
Casalots have special dimensions in the animal world, the male reaching 20 meters and 52 tons. However, the largest casalot ever seen by human eyes was about 26 meters.
The females are not nearly as large, the casalot presenting a very high form of sexual dimorphism. That means there is a big difference between the Sexes. The male is 30% -50% longer and almost 3 times heavier.
The skin on the back of the casalot is rough and wrinkled, even notched. The brain of the casalot is the largest brain of any animal known today. Although it weighs 8 kilograms, it is not large in relation to the animal's body.
Relative to the body, the brain of the casalot is much smaller than that of man, smaller even than any Anthropoid primate. Because of this, the possible intelligence quotient is much lower than that of anthropoid primates and most cetaceans.
The color of these whales is usually gray, but sometimes in sunlight it looks dark brown. Albino specimens have also been observed In the wild.
Casalots rarely approach land. Males and females have different migration routes because although males can withstand the cold in the Arctic, females and Cubs need higher water temperatures. Therefore, only males are found at latitudes higher than about 45gr in both hemispheres.
The heads of casalots contain a white waxy substance called spermantet. This, along with another substance produced in the intestine, called gray Amber, makes these animals highly hunted.
Breeding Casalot
Casalot seems to be able to grow for the entire period of life, that is, about 100 years. Like most whales, casalots are social animals. Females live in groups of about 12 specimens with their young.
Males leave these shoals between the ages of 4 and 21 to join shoals of Bachelors of similar ages. As males get older they tend to stay in smaller groups until they age enough to lead a solitary life.
Despite the fame of fierce hunters, casalots have a natural enemy, the killer whale or orca. It is known that groups of killer whales try to separate young whales from their mothers. In an attempt to protect their young, they form circles with them in their center.
Casalot mothers use their tails and teeth as weapons against invaders. It is believed that only the largest and oldest whales are immune to attacks by killer whales.
In the wild, the casalots have lived for about 70 years. Like all whales, they give birth to live Cubs. A single cub is born after a gestation period of 14 to 16 months. The baby will feed on the mother's milk for 42 months.
Females Mature between the ages of 7 and 13, and males usually do not mature earlier than 18. Males will only reach their maximum size at about 50 years of age.
