Ziphius cavirostris G. Cuvier, 1823

Jo, Yeong-Seok, Baccus, John T. & Koprowski, John L., 2018, Mammals of Korea: a review of their taxonomy, distribution and conservation status, Zootaxa 4522 (1), pp. 1-216 : 129

Ziphius cavirostris G. Cuvier, 1823 —Cuvier’s Beaked Whale, goose-beaked whale

Ziphius cavirostris G. Cuvier, 1823 p.350 ; Type locality- France; Kim et al., 2000 p.78; Kim, 2004 p.234.

Z. grebnitzkii Stejneger, 1883 p.77 ; Type locality- Commander Islands, Bering Sea, Russia.

Range: No official records verified strandings or by-catch of Cuvier’s beaked whales from the waters of Korea. However, molecular investigations confirmed that the meat of Z. cavirostris was sold at markets in Korea ( Dalebout et al. 2005). Since a federal law in South Korea prohibits the import of whale meat from other countries or deep-sea fisheries, there is high probability that the meet of Z. cavirostris in markets was poached from Korean waters ( Fig. 85 ).

Remarks: Despite regional variation in morphology ( Dalebout et al. 2005), Z. cavirostris is considered a monotypic species.

Figures

FIGURE 85. Range map of Ziphius cavirostris in Korea.