Berardius fossil map
Where fossils of Berardius have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 0 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 0 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 13.82 million years ago to the present (Serravallian to Holocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Ziphiidae |
| Named by | Duvernoy 1851 |
| Fossil records | 30 occurrences at 15 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Japan, South Africa, Australia, Russia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, Antarctica, United States, Mexico |
| Rock formations | txn:42951, Tsurushi |
About Berardius
The four-toothed whales or giant beaked whales are beaked whales in the genus Berardius. They include Arnoux's beaked whale (Berardius arnuxii) in cold Southern Hemispheric waters, and Baird's beaked whale (Berardius bairdii) in the cold temperate waters of the North Pacific. A third species, Sato's beaked whale (Berardius minimus), was distinguished from B. bairdii in the 2010s.
Arnoux's and Baird's beaked whales are so similar that researchers have debated whether or not they are simply two populations of the same species. However, genetic evidence and their wide geographical separation has led them to be classified as separate. Lifespan estimates, based on earwax plug samples, indicate male whales can live up to 84 years, while females can have a lifespan of 54 years. It is estimated that the length at birth is ~4 metres (13 ft). Growing up to ~10 metres (33 ft), these are the largest whales belonging to the family Ziphiidae. Sato's beaked whale is much smaller, with adult males having a length of ~7 metres (23 ft).
While Berardius arnuxii and Berardius bairdii are considered least concern by the IUCN, Berardius minimus is labeled as near threatened as of 2023.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Berardius (revision 1380718543), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q1061872.
