Sperm whale with piece of giant squid

This sperm whale has just come up to breathe, after foraging for prey in deep water. There is a small piece of squid visible, attached to the whale's top left jaw. It is very likely a piece of Architeuthis giant squid, which seem to be relatively common in the deep waters adjacent to the Ogasawara island chain of Japan. There are also scars made by suction cups of squid feeding tentacles visible on the forehead of the whale. Those suction cups are lined with finely serrated rings of teeth made of chitin.

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Filename: sperm-whale-physeter-macrocephalus-architeuthis-giant-squid-ogasawara-japan-201010-0153.tif
Copyright: Copyright Tony Wu. All rights reserved. No duplication without prior written permission
Image Size: 5616x3744 / 60.2MB; https://www.photoshelter.com/support/license#rm; https://www.tony-wu.com/contact-tony-wu; Whale Sperm Whale Animalia Chordata Mammalia Cetacea Odontoceti Physeteridae Physeter macrocephalus Cetartiodactyla Cachalot Marine Mammal Odontocete Physeter catadon Toothed Whale CITES Appendix 1 Vulnerable: IUCN Red List Pacific Japan Bonin Islands Ogasawara Chichijima Foraging Feeding Hunting Squid Mollusca Cephalopoda Coleoidea Teuthida Oegopsina Architeuthidae Architeuthis sp. Giant Squid
Contained in galleries: Giant Squid, Sperm Whales, Cephalopods, Marine Life | Japan

This sperm whale has just come up to breathe, after foraging for prey in deep water. There is a small piece of squid visible, attached to the whale's top left jaw. It is very likely a piece of Architeuthis giant squid, which seem to be relatively common in the deep waters adjacent to the Ogasawara island chain of Japan. There are also scars made by suction cups of squid feeding tentacles visible on the forehead of the whale. Those suction cups are lined with finely serrated rings of teeth made of chitin.