Comments on: Is it true that sperm whales stun giant squid with sonar? http://www.scienceline.org/2008/05/12/ask-locke-whale/ The Shortest Distance Between You and Science Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:16:34 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Ianscot http://www.scienceline.org/2008/05/12/ask-locke-whale/comment-page-1/#comment-1300 Ianscot Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:42:20 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2008/05/12/ask-locke-whale/#comment-1300 It should maybe have been noted, here, that sperm whales are known to actually survive and thrive despite drastic damage to their lower jaws. An adult whale can even lose the mandible, there -- on which its few, peg-like teeth grow -- and still continue to eat. That's one of the reasons for which this idea has been out there for so long. If they're not clamping their jaws down on their prey, how exactly *are* the sperm whales getting squid that are often 30+ feet long into their mouths? (Oh, and also: sperm whales are the largest predators known to have existed on planet earth. Barring larger "rorqual" whales like the blue, which plankton feed by filtering, that is. We're talking about the biggest predator we've got evidence of, period.) It should maybe have been noted, here, that sperm whales are known to actually survive and thrive despite drastic damage to their lower jaws. An adult whale can even lose the mandible, there — on which its few, peg-like teeth grow — and still continue to eat.

That’s one of the reasons for which this idea has been out there for so long. If they’re not clamping their jaws down on their prey, how exactly *are* the sperm whales getting squid that are often 30+ feet long into their mouths?

(Oh, and also: sperm whales are the largest predators known to have existed on planet earth. Barring larger “rorqual” whales like the blue, which plankton feed by filtering, that is. We’re talking about the biggest predator we’ve got evidence of, period.)

]]> By: Clara http://www.scienceline.org/2008/05/12/ask-locke-whale/comment-page-1/#comment-1286 Clara Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:18:02 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2008/05/12/ask-locke-whale/#comment-1286 Wow, all the things I never knew about sperm whales and giant squids! Are there any theories as to how the sperm whales are killing their prey if it isn't through sonar? Wow, all the things I never knew about sperm whales and giant squids! Are there any theories as to how the sperm whales are killing their prey if it isn’t through sonar?

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