The 20 cetacean records

30 mLargest animal (blue whale)
2,992 mDive record (Cuvier’s beaked whale)
230 dBLoudest biological sound
200+ yearsLongevity (bowhead whale)

Size records

1

The largest animal of all time

30 metres · 180 tonnes
Blue whale · Balaenoptera musculus

The blue whale is the largest animal that has ever lived on Earth. It exceeds every known dinosaur, including the largest sauropods. No other animal, living or extinct, has ever reached such a mass.

2

The largest baby in the world

7 m · 2.5 tonnes at birth
Blue whale calf

From birth, a blue whale calf gains about 90 kg a day while it is suckling, thanks to milk extraordinarily rich in fat (up to 40%).

3

The largest head

~16 tonnes (1/3 of the body)
Sperm whale · Physeter macrocephalus

The sperm whale’s head accounts for up to a third of its body. It holds the spermaceti organ, which can store close to 1,900 litres of oil.

4

The smallest cetacean

1.40 m · 45 kg
Vaquita · Phocoena sinus

Endemic to the Gulf of California, the vaquita is also the most threatened cetacean species in the world: fewer than 10 individuals survive.

Diving and breath-hold records

5

The deepest diver

2,992 metres
Cuvier’s beaked whale · Ziphius cavirostris

Cuvier’s beaked whale holds the absolute depth record among mammals, close to 3 km below the surface. The sperm whale follows, with dives that also go beyond 3,000 metres.

6

The longest breath-hold

222 minutes (3 h 42)
Cuvier’s beaked whale · Ziphius cavirostris

Record set in 2020 (Quick et al., J. Exp. Biol.). Cuvier’s beaked whale surpasses every other mammal, and even professional human freedivers (record 24 min).

7

The greatest pressure withstood

~300 atmospheres
Deep-sea cetaceans

At 3,000 m, diving cetaceans withstand the equivalent of 300 kg on every cm² of their body. This resistance is made possible by a flexible skeleton, compressible lungs and a rete mirabile.

Acoustic records

8

The loudest biological sound

230 decibels
Sperm whale clicks

The acoustic equivalent of a Saturn V rocket launch at close range, and this in water, where sound travels differently.

9

The most complex song

more than 30 minutes
Humpback whale · Megaptera novaeangliae

Structured into themes, phrases and motifs, the song can be repeated for hours. More complex than any other known animal vocalisation.

10

The longest acoustic propagation

Several thousand km
Subsonic blue whale songs

Subsonic songs (10 to 39 Hz) travel through the deep layers of the ocean. In theory, two blue whales could communicate from one continent to another.

Migration and speed records

11

The longest migration

~22,500 km a year
Grey whale · Eschrichtius robustus

The longest documented migration in a mammal: between the Arctic feeding grounds and the breeding grounds off Mexico.

12

The fastest cetacean

55 km/h
Sei whale · Balaenoptera borealis

The sei whale is the fastest of the large mysticetes. The killer whale reaches 56 km/h in a sprint, and the pilot whale about 47 km/h.

Cognitive and social records

13

The heaviest brain in the world

7.8 kg on average
Sperm whale · Physeter macrocephalus

The largest brain in the whole history of life. For comparison, the human brain weighs about 1.4 kg and the elephant’s about 5 kg.

14

The largest animal society

Up to 20,000 individuals
Sperm whale clans

Sperm whales are organised into cultural clans that share a common coda dialect and extend across entire ocean basins. In the North Pacific, some clans are thought to number about 20,000 individuals (estimate, Whitehead & Rendell). The groups that travel together are far smaller (6 to 12 individuals).

15

The longest life

200 years and more
Bowhead whale · Balaena mysticetus

The longevity record among mammals. Some individuals are reported to have passed 200 years, dated by analysis of crystallised amino acids in the eye lens.

Anatomical records

16

The longest tooth

Up to 3 metres
Male narwhal · Monodon monoceros

The narwhal’s “tusk” is in fact a left upper canine that grows in a spiral. It is also the only tooth known to have such a spiralled structure.

17

The greatest number of teeth

Up to 250 teeth
Spinner dolphins (Stenella)

At the other extreme, adult beaked whales often have only one or two pairs of visible teeth, and in males only.

18

The largest mouthful

~90,000 litres of water
Blue whale (lunge feeding)

During a lunge feed, the whale takes in more than its own body volume. Its throat pleats stretch like an accordion to allow this expansion.

Rarity and threat records

19

The rarest cetacean

Fewer than 10 individuals
Vaquita · Phocoena sinus

The most threatened marine mammal in the world. The main threat: the driftnets used illegally to fish for totoaba in the Gulf of California.

20

The most solitary

An atypical frequency of 52 Hz
The “52 Hz whale”

First detected in 1989, followed for more than two decades without ever being seen visually or detected in the company of other whales. Nicknamed “the loneliest whale in the world”.

Summary of the records

RecordSpeciesValue
Largest animal of all timeBlue whale30 m, 180 t
Smallest cetaceanVaquita1.40 m
Deepest diverCuvier’s beaked whale2,992 m
Longest breath-holdCuvier’s beaked whale222 min
Loudest biological soundSperm whale230 dB
Most complex songHumpback whale> 30 min
Longest migrationGrey whale22,500 km/year
FastestSei whale55 km/h
Largest brainSperm whale7.8 kg
Longest lifeBowhead whale> 200 years
Longest toothNarwhal3 m
Largest mouthfulBlue whale90,000 L
Largest social clanSperm whale20,000 ind.
RarestVaquita< 10 ind.

Going further

Cetacean evolution Listen to the record-holders Sperm whale species page Cetacean FAQ Famous cetaceans quiz Glossary