A northernmost occurrence record of Shepherd’s beaked whale (Tasmacetus shepherdi) – a molecular identification from Exmouth, Western Australia

Shepherd’s beaked whale (Tasmacetus shepherdi) is one of the least known beaked whales. Its distribution has been described as circumpolar, between latitudes 26°S and 50°S in the Southern Hemisphere based on scarce at-sea sightings and strandings. In March 2024, the remains of a cetacean were found in the Jurabi Coastal Park in North West Cape, Western Australia, 21°48′S, 114°06′E. Heavy predation on the carcass did not allow morphological identification. DNA sequencing was used to verify its identity as T. shepherdi, representing a 600 km extension to the previous northernmost record for this species.