Name:
Acrophyseter (Greek for "acute sperm whale"); pronounced ACK-roe-FIE-zet-er
Habitat:
Pacific Ocean
Historical Epoch:
Late Miocene (6 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 12 feet long and half a ton
Diet:
Fish, whales and birds
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Moderate size; long, pointed snout
About Acrophyseter:
You can gauge the full measure of the prehistoric sperm whale Acrophyseter by its full name: Acrophyseter deinodon, which translates roughly as "pointy-snouted sperm whale with terrible teeth" ("terrible" in this context meaning scary, not rotten). This "killer sperm whale," as it's sometimes called, possessed a long, pointed snout studded with sharp teeth, making it look a bit like a cross between a cetacean and a shark. Unlike modern sperm whales, which feed mostly on squids and fish, Acrophyseter seems to have pursued a more varied diet, including sharks, seals, penguins and even other prehistoric whales. As you can guess from its name, Acrophyseter was closely related to another sperm whale ancestor, Brygmophyseter.
