additional the actual Pottwal (Physeter catodon), that with 15-18 m, occasionally even 20 m of total-length of the male animals the biggest tooth-whale at all is (the females reach 10-11, at most 12 m), the Zwergpottwal (Kogia breviceps) and the Kleinstpottwal (Kogia simus) live in all seas with exception of the cold polar waters.
Pottwal (Physeter catodon)) Pottwale or Spermwale ("Sperm Whales"), as they were named by the old whalers of the American East coast, with 35-55 t substances are and it one third of the length earning, massive head after the big Bartenwalen the most impressive whale-shapes and therefore abandoned strong prosecutions also because of its big economic meaning unfortunately.
The huge front-head is not formed by the skull-bone but exists from a bindegewebigen tank for the whale-council or Spermacet. This is a clear, oil-similar substance, that becomes waxy solid at the air. Of course, the term "Sperm" doesn't apply; this whale-advice doesn't have anything to do with the reproduction as one believed earlier. However, one doesn't yet know particular about the function of this mighty head-organ also today. Probably, it takes on important tasks with the Tieftauchen of the Pottwale. The skull of the Pottwals forms a real peel with the strongly elevated rear-main-region and the long upper jaws for the reception of the whale-advice.
Working teeth stand only in the lower jaw (16-30 on each side); they can become over 20 cm long and can fit into corresponding indentations of the palate. Little one, stunted teeth remain hidden in the gum of the upper jaw. The unpaare nose-opening doesn't lead on the head-middle but in a S-förmigen Blasloch at the left forefront of the box-shaped head-part (the bone nose-opening against it lies on the skull above). it is "blows" through it, the discharged breath-air therefore, directed diagonally to the front and hands over a sure identification for the whalers.
The lower jaw of a Pottwals or Cachalots (cachau = big tooth of gascognischer language) admittedly are quite narrow, but just as long as the bone upper jaw. Only through it over the mouth-opening out extended front-head it seems relatively small.
The round flippers of the Pottwale, that is back-Finn, are relatively short (at most 2 m) only an in a round shape backs; to further small rises follow it to the tail. The flukes stretch 4-4,5 m (with male Pottwalen).
The eyes lie above the mouth-corners, the ear-openings for eyes and flippers. At the throat, irregular longitudinal-furrows occur.
Pottwale have an important bacon-cushion; this can become bubbles thickly up to 36 cm. In the coloring, individual animals vary strongly, broadly however dark gray and brown-sounds predominate, also black or even a white copy already was caught. With onward age, especially male Pottwale become increasingly lighter. In addition, often numerous light scars of rival-fights and confrontations with big squids of the head-part of the Pottwals give a spotted look.
Nutrition Pottwale live mainly from 1-2 m of big Kopffüßern, as Kalmaren and octopuses, that it (sometimes in big depths) dives, carries off. Also different fish (among them Barracudas, deep sea-anglers and sharks) are found in the stomachs of killed Pottwale, beside the remnants of Kopffüßern.
When diving, the Pottwale stretch the flukes highly into the air before they glide almost vertically into the depth. For usually, Pottwale undertake a deep diving-walk of 25-70 minutes of duration in order to undertake after it several short and less deep excursions. Depths up to 1000 m are busy; usually, however, Pottwale hunt probably "only" until 500 m of depth. If one considers, is that the pressure doubles as highly as at the surface in 10 m of water-depth, the physical requests for the whale-body become recognizable at deep diving-walks.
Reproductive-behavior Pottwale live in groups of 15-20 female animals with its boys while the males in along-drawing near puberty form bachelor-herds. They become less socially with increasing age and live finally individual. The family-associations move in the change of the seasons, with what hundred of Pottwalen can often meet, between tropical and restrained waters of the oceans back and forth. Female animals only rarely leave, because of which boys?) the warm Meeresgebiete between 40° north and 40° more southern breadths. Adult whale-bulls, whom one even finds in the polar waters, are old loners mostly.
The combination-time is in the south between August and December, in the North-Atlantic between March and May as well as between January and May in the North-Pacific. After approximately 14-16 months of Tragzeit, a young was born length by 4 m and is suckled for 1,6-3,5 years. Female Pottwale become sexually mature with 9 m of length with approximately 10 years, whale-bulls against it only with 18-20 years and 11-12 m of length.
Female Pottwale bear a calf on average every 4-6 years, with older animals, the intervals are longer; the maximum-age known through markings certainly is with 22 years as well as. 32 years with male animals.
Whale-catch Pottwale became mainly because of theirs trans that is stored in the bubbles and hunted because of the whale-advice.
Another raw material-source was this ambergris. As this gray mass smelly in the fresh condition in the until intestine of the Pottwals, long to 160 m, originates, is not yet clarified. Ambergris actually comes find this rare one and unnormale secretion only with Pottwalen only before, and with few whales one. Occasionally ambergris-pieces drive on the sea or are washed up. Ambergris was for the perfume-industry of importance originally.
The hunt on the Pottwal in big style began end of the 18. Century in New England. Between 1800 and 1850, the fast sail-ships from Nantucket and New Bedford had as the most known home-harbors, its prime, were called. The demand declined after it through the introduction of the petroleum after whale-oil until the modern whale-catch and new utilization-possibilities did the hunt again profitable on the Pottwal since beginning of this century for the Tran. In the 1950er years, over 20 000 animals per year were partially carried off. The first catch-limitations were imposed 1971 by the international whale-catch-commission, since 1984, every commercial catch is prohibited.
Continuance The Pottwal was the most frequent whale at all, and probably it still is it despite the intensive Bejagung. One estimates the whale-continuance at approximately 2 million animals today, on whom the half lives in the North-Pacific.
Zwergpottwal (Kogia breviceps)) it becomes 2,7-3,3 m long, also with this type, the female animals remain smaller even if the size-difference as clearly as with the Pottwal is not. The length of the flippers amounts to 40-60 cm, the tail-flukes also measure approximately 60 cm. Approximately, the sickle-shaped back-fin arises on the middle of the black back. The underside of the whale is gray colored until whitish.
With the Zwergpottwal, the head makes approximately 1/6 of the total-length; it resembles that of the Pottwals strongly in the construction. So the Blasloch lies left on the forehead in the front, the front-head is strongly developed and contains a whale-advice-storage, and the lower jaw alone carries 9-15 teeth on each side.
Reproduction Probably, Zwergpottwale move polwärts in the summer and at break-in of the winter back into warmer waters, in order to bring here its boys to the world. The combination-time probably is not narrowly restricted since one found pregnant females of December until April. Presumably, the Tragzeit lasts 11 months; the young is suckled by the mother one year long after it. The young whales usually become sexually mature with a length of 3 m and more.
Food Zwergpottwale live on Kopffüßern and cancer-animals as stomach-examinations showed at aground copies. The Zwergpottwal is not of economic meaning, only in Japan, it is caught occasionally.
The Zwergpottwal very similar is the Kleinstpottwal (Kogia simus). it becomes at most 2,7 m long, and some zoologist holds it for a coast-variation of the Zwergpottwals.
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