Mesoplodon layardii. How this whale feeds remains a mystery due to the bizarre shape of its lower jaw teeth which, in the male, become greatly elongated or strap-shaped. The teeth have a small blunt enael tip and arch over the beak, nearly meeting one another. This puzzling growth patterns allows the jaws to open only a short distance and may severely restrict the animal's ability to feed.
Summary[edit] Description: English: Porpoising strap-tooth beaked whale, photographed in the Drake Passage, between Chile and Antarctica. Photo credit: Susan Zelenka. Date: 11 December 2019. Source: Own work. Author: TexaSim.