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For the first time, scientists have visually identified living ginkgo-toothed beaked whales out on the ocean, with this young whale providing a DNA sample. (Image credit: Todd Pusser)ShareShare by:
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After a monumental research undertaking near Mexico, unique whales with tusks have been distinguished and visually documented at sea for the initial time, according to a fresh study.
These newly observed cetaceans represent ginkgo-toothed beaked whales (Mesoplodon ginkgodens), previously recognized solely from deceased specimens discovered along shorelines and as bycatch. This isn’t wholly unexpected for beaked whales, notorious for their elusive nature and deep-diving habits, leading them far from coastal regions.
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Here is an adult male ginkgo-toothed beaked whale, bearing both injuries and its characteristic tusk. The seemingly white part of its eye is indeed a combat tusk, with the orange tip worn down.
The pursuit for, and eventual detection of, these elusive creatures started from a recorded, unique echolocation signal within the Northern Pacific. Beginning in 2020, investigators initiated a search for the animals generating this unusual sonar emission, ultimately guiding them to an individual beaked whale by June of 2024. A few days after that initial sighting, the team then located a small community of these whales, including one battle-worn adult male alongside a female with a calf.
As beaked whale species can be challenging to differentiate, mere visual observation wasn’t adequate for identification. Definitive confirmation arrived only following the acquisition of a DNA sample, obtained by shooting one of the whales using a crossbow. (Rest assured, the whale remains unharmed.)
On July 28, the researchers shared their discoveries online via the Marine Mammal Science journal, slated for inclusion in its upcoming January 2026 publication. Elizabeth Henderson, the study’s lead author and a bioacoustic researcher at the Naval Information Warfare Center, Pacific, noted that the outcomes underscored the merits of perseverance and maintaining optimism.
“Myself, alongside some colleagues on this venture (Gustavo Cardenas, Jay Barlow), dedicated five years to locating these whales; each year since 2020 was spent searching off Baja, culminating in this determination being greatly rewarded,” Henderson stated in an email to Live Science.
Ginkgo-toothed beaked whales get their name from the pair of teeth found in males, which bear resemblance to the ginkgo tree’s fan-shaped leaves. For the whales, virtually all of this form remains concealed within the jaw and gum tissues; only the tip of each tooth is exposed on each side of their mouth. As males reach maturity, these teeth evolve into small tusks, used as weapons rather than for consuming food.
“They sustain themselves by suction feeding on small squids and fishes, negating the necessity for teeth,” Pitman clarified. “Consequently, females lack teeth throughout their lifespan, whereas males retain a solitary pair of enlarged teeth within the lower jaw, employing them as tusks to vie for procreative females.”
Upon finally locating the whales, the team observed a seemingly battle-hardened adult male exhibiting a worn tusk, marks of bruising, and scars. The other whales that the researchers documented across six independent sightings also bore markings, stemming from sources beyond mere whale interactions. Their injuries encompassed distinct white patches, signifying bites from cookiecutter sharks — diminutive creatures that feed by removing cookie-shaped portions from bigger creatures.
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Depicted is an adult male rolling over. Notice the lines on its hide, representing tooth scrape marks acquired during battles against other males over females. The team points out that the white spots come from bites by cookiecutter sharks, while a shark bite caused the damage to its dorsal fin.
The crew documented these whales through binocular observations, photos, and hydrophones (underwater mics). During the fifth interaction, a whale swam close — within roughly 66 feet, or 20 meters — from the stern of their vessel, leading Pitman to launch his 150-pound (68-kilogram) draw-weight crossbow armed with a uniquely modified punch-tip arrow.
“The crossbow’s arrow (‘bolt’) extracts a very small skin and blubber plug, around the size of a pencil eraser,” Pitman explained. “Over many years, we have collected thousands of these from different whale and dolphin types.”
Henderson likened the crossbow shot to receiving an ear-piercing, while Pitman speculated that any single bite from those cookicutter sharks likely extracted around 50 times more tissue than the crossbow. Given that the arrow did not remain embedded within the whale, the research crew could recover both the arrow and sample. Securing a sample, the tissue then headed to a genetic expert for examination.
“It took a few days to ready the material and implement the tests, resulting in anticipation from us all,” Henderson recalled. “Following the revelation of results, we were collectively shocked — although appearances aligned with the species, its anticipated habitat contrasted with our location, causing us to dismiss it as a possibility — yet we felt thrilled to have resolved the mystery.”
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Strandings of ginkgo-toothed beaked whales remain reasonably frequent in the western Pacific, however, records only document two cases of individual strandings in the eastern Pacific. Earlier, the investigators considered that they may be observing Perrin’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon perrini), of which Pitman stated that these creatures are solely known from six beaching instances off southern California, making them the most obscure marine mammal worldwide (and sizeable creatures, altogether).
Pitman specified that the crew has ambitions of soon searching for Perrin’s beaked whales, coupled with the additional two beaked whale species that are yet to undergo live identification in the wild, therefore connecting a physical form to more undersea calls.
“This bears importance, as call matching with unique species allows us to utilize passive acoustic monitoring (towing hydrophones alongside vessels, mooring drifter buoys, etc.) and finally understand where these whales reside, population size, and the level of susceptibility to human intrusion — in particular, high-seas fisheries,” Pitman mentioned.
Patrick PesterSocial Links NavigationTrending News Writer
Patrick Pester functions as the trending news writer for Live Science. His written works have been featured across other science-focused sites, inclusive of BBC Science Focus and Scientific American. Patrick transitioned into journalism upon spending his early employment years within zoological facilities and wildlife conservation. He was presented with the Master’s Excellence Scholarship toward studying at Cardiff University, ultimately attaining a master’s degree focused on international journalism. Additionally, he gained a second master’s degree in biodiversity, evolution, plus in-action conservation from Middlesex University London. Patrick analyzes the sale of human remains during his off-time from writing.
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