A new species of deep-diving, beaked whale has been discovered during a study of seven animals stranded on tropical islands over the past 50 years.
Beaked whales are a widespread yet little-known species of toothed whale (distantly related to sperm whales) that are found in deep ocean waters beyond the edge of the continental shelf.
The first specimen of the new species, Mesoplodon hotaula, was a female found on the coast of Sri Lanka on 26 January, 1963. The 4.5 metre-long whale was found on the beach of Ratmalana, near Colombo.
Read more at UNSW Sydney