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Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

James Mead

Emeritus Curator
Department / Division
Vertebrate Zoology / Mammals
Education
  • Ph.D. (Evolutionary Biology): University of Chicago, 1972
  • M.A. (Geology): University of Texas at Austin, 1968
  • B.S. (Biology and Geology): Yale University, 1965
Research Interests

Evolution and interrelationship of cetaceans; functional anatomy, distribution, and biology of cetaceans in the western and northern Atlantic

Publications
Book
Journal Article
  • Brownell, Robert L., Jr., Archer, Frederick I., Ballance, Lisa T., Jefferson, Thomas A., Mead, James G., Mesnick, Sarah L., Reeves, Randall R., and Taylor, Barbara L. 2023. "William F. Perrin 1938-2022." Marine Mammal Science, 39, (1) 356–362. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12996.
  • Carroll, Emma L., McGowen, Michael R., McCarthy, Morgan L., Marx, Felix G., Aguilar, Natacha, Dalebout, Merel L., Dreyer, Sascha, Gaggiotti, Oscar E., Hansen, Sabine S., van Helden, Anton, Onoufriou, Aubrie B., Baird, Robin W., Baker, C. Scott, Berrow, Simon, Cholewiak, Danielle, Claridge, Diane, Constantine, Rochelle, Davison, Nicholas J., Eira, Catarina, Fordyce, R. Ewan, Gatesy, John, Hofmeyr, G. J. Greg, Martin, Vidal, Mead, James G., Mignucci-Giannoni, Antonio A. et al. 2021. "Speciation in the deep: genomics and morphology reveal a new species of beaked whale Mesoplodon eueu." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 288, (1961). https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2021.1213.
  • Smith, Kerri J., Peterson, Markus J., and Mead, James G. 2021. "Specimens of opportunity provide vital information for research and conservation regarding elusive whale species." Environmental Conservation, 48, (2) 84–92. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0376892920000521.
  • Vollmer, Nicole L., Ashe, Erin, Brownell, Robert L., Jr., Cipriano, Frank, Mead, James G., Reeves, Randall R., Soldevilla, Melissa S., and Williams, Rob. 2019. "Taxonomic revision of the dolphin genus Lagenorhynchus." Marine Mammal Science, 35, (3) 957–1057. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12573.
  • Yamada, Tadasu K., Kitamura, Shino, Abe, Syuiti, Tajima, Yuko, Matsuda, Ayaka, Mead, James G., and Matsuishi, Takashi F. 2019. "Description of a new species of beaked whale (Berardius) found in the North Pacific." Scientific Reports, 9 12723–12723. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-46703-w.
  • Tsai, Cheng-Hsiu and Mead, James G. 2018. "Crossing the equator: a northern occurrence of the pygmy right whale." Zoological Letters, 4, (1) 30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40851-018-0117-8.
  • Van Waerebeek, Koen, van Helden, Anton, Würsig, Bernd, Brownell, Robert L., Jr., Cipriano, Frank, Perrin, William F., and Mead, James G. 2018. "Alan Noel Baker 1940-2017." Marine Mammal Science, 34, (2) 563–570. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12493.
  • West, Kristi L., Walker, William A., Baird, Robin W., Mead, James G., and Collins, Paul W. 2017. "Diet of Cuvier's beaked whales Ziphius cavirostris from the North Pacific and a comparison with their diet world-wide." Marine Ecology Progress Series, 574 227–242. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12214.
  • Woodman, Neal and Mead, James G. 2017. "Rafinesque's Sicilian whale, Balena gastrytis." Archives of Natural History, 44, (2) 229–240. https://doi.org/10.3366/anh.2017.0446.
  • Yamato, Maya, Khidas, Kamal, Pyenson, Nicholas D., Fordyce, R. Ewan, and Mead, James G. 2016. "Extensively remodeled, fractured cetacean tympanic bullae show that whales can survive traumatic injury to the ears." Journal of anatomy, 228, (1) 125–136. https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.12385.
  • Dalebout, Merel L., Baker, C. Scott, Steel, Debbie, Thompson, Kirsten, Robertson, Kelly M., Chivers, Susan J., Perrin, William F., Goonatilake, Manori, Anderson, R. Charles, Mead, James G., Potter, Charles W., Thompson, Lisa, Jupiter, Danielle, and Yamada, Tadasu K. 2014. "Resurrection of Mesoplodon hotaula Deraniyagala 1963: A new species of beaked whale in the tropical Indo-Pacific." Marine Mammal Science, 30, (3) 1081–1108. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12113.
  • Nweeia, Martin T., Eichmiller, Frederick C., Hauschka, Peter V., Donahue, Gretchen A., Orr, Jack R., Ferguson, Steven H., Watt, Cortney A., Mead, James G., Potter, Charles W., Dietz, Rune, Giuseppetti, Anthony A., Black, Sandie R., Trachtenberg, Alexander J., and Kuo, Winston P. 2014. "Sensory ability in the narwhal tooth organ system." Anatomical Record : Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology, 297, (4) 599–617. https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.22886.
  • Nweeia, Martin T., Eichmiller, Frederick C., Hauschka, Peter V., Tyler, Ethan, Mead, James G., Potter, Charles W., Angnatsiak, David P., Richard, Pierre R., Orr, Jack R., and Black, Sandie R. 2012. "Vestigial Tooth Anatomy and Tusk Nomenclature for Monodon Monoceros." Anatomical Record : Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology, 295, (6) 1006–1016. https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.22449.
  • West, Kristi L., Mead, James G., and White, Whitney. 2011. "Steno bredanensis (Cetacea: Delphinidae)." Mammalian Species, 43, (1) 177–189. https://doi.org/10.1644/886.1.
  • D'Amico, Angela, Gisiner, Robert C., Ketten, Darlene R., Hammock, Jennifer A., Johnson, Chip, Tyack, Peter L., and Mead, James G. 2009. "Beaked Whale Strandings and Naval Exercises." Aquatic Mammals, 35, (4) 452–472. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.35.4.2009.452.
  • Oremland, Mollie Sue, Allen, Bernadette M., Clapham, Phil J., Moore, Michael J., Potter, Charles W., and Mead, James G. 2009. "Mandibular fractures in short-finned pilot whales, Globicephala macrorhynchus." Marine Mammal Science, 26, (1) 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2009.00334.x.
  • Dalebout, M. L., Baker, C. S., Steel, D., Robertson, K. M., Chivers, S. J., Perrin, William F., Mead, James G., Grace, R. V., and Schofield, T. D. 2007. "A divergent mtDNA lineage among Mesoplodon beaked whales: Molecular evidence for a new species in the tropical Pacific?" Marine Mammal Science, 23, (4) 954–966. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2007.00143.x.
  • Mead, James G. 2007. "Stomach Anatomy and Use in Defining Systemic Relationships of the Cetacean Family Ziphiidae (Beaked Whales)." Anatomical Record : Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology, 290 581–595.
  • Perrin, William F., Robertson, Kelly M., Van Bree, Peter J. H., and Mead, James G. 2007. "Cranial description and genetic identity of the holotype specimen of Tursiops aduncus (Ehrenberg, 1832)." Marine Mammal Science, 23, (2) 343–357. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2007.00119.x.
  • Brownell, Robert L., Jr., Yamada, T., Mead, James G., and Helden, A. L. 2004. "Mass stranding of Cuvier's beaked whales in Japan: U.S. Naval acoustic link?" Journal of Cetacean Research and Management, 7 1–10.
  • Dalebout, M. L., Baker, C. S., Mead, James G., Cockcroft, V. G., and Yamada, T. K. 2004. "A comprehensive and validated molecular taxonomy of beaked whales, family Ziphiidae." The Journal of Heredity, 95, (6) 459–473. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/esh054.
  • Dalebout, M. L., Mead, James G., Baker, C. S., Baker, A. N., and van Helden, A. L. 2002. "A new species of beaked whale Mesoplodon perrini sp N. (Cetacea : Ziphiidae) discovered through phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial DNA sequences." Marine Mammal Science, 18, (3) 577–608.
  • McLellan, W., Friedlander, A., Mead, James G., Potter, Charles W., and Pabst, D. A. 2002. "Analyzing 25 Years of Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Strandings along the Atlantic coast of the USA: Do Historic Recods Support the Coastal Migratory Stock Hypothesis." Journal of Cetacean Research and Management, 4 297–304.
  • Walker, W. A., Mead, James G., and Brownell, Robert L., Jr. 2002. "Diets of Baird's Beaked Whales, Beradius Bairdii, in the Southern Sea of Okhotsk and off the Pacific Coast of Honshu, Japan." Marine Mammal Science, 18, (4) 902–919.
  • Laist, D. W., Knowlton, A. R., Mead, James G., Collet, A. S., and Podesta, M. 2001. "Collisions between ships and whales." Marine Mammal Science, 17, (1) 35–75.
  • Gannon, D. P., Read, A. J., Craddock, J. E., and Mead, James G. 1997. "Stomach contents of long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) stranded on the US mid-Atlantic coast." Marine Mammal Science, 13, (3) 405–418.
  • Heyning, J. E. and Mead, James G. 1997. "Thermoregulation in the mouths of feeding gray whales." Science, 278, (5340) 1138–1139.
  • Laerm, J., Wenzel, F., Craddock, J. E., Weinand, D., McGurk, J., Harris, M. J., Early, G. A., Mead, James G., Potter, Charles W., and Barros, N. B. 1997. "New prey species for northwestern Atlantic humpback whales." Marine Mammal Science, 13, (4) 705–711.
  • Mead, James G. and Potter, Charles W. 1995. "Recognizing Two Populations off the Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) of the Atlantic Coast of North America - Morphologic and Ecologic Considerations." International Marine Biology Research Institute: IBI Reports, (5) 31–44.
  • Curry, B. E., Mead, James G., and Purgue, A. P. 1994. "The Occurrence of Calculi in the Nasal Diverticula of Porpoises (Phocoenidae)." Marine Mammal Science, 10, (1) 81–86.
  • Heyning, J. E., Mead, James G., and Bryden, M. M. 1993. "A Palatal Rete in the Right Whale." Nature, 361, (6407) 24–25.
  • Mead, James G. 1993. "The systematic importance of stomach anatomy in beaked whales." International Marine Biology Research Institute: IBI Reports, (4) 75–86.
  • Rommel, S. A., Pabst, D. A., Mclellan, W. A., Mead, James G., and Potter, Charles W. 1992. "Anatomical Evidence for a Countercurrent Heat-Exchanger Associated with Dolphin Testes." Anatomical Record : Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology, 232, (1) 150–156.
  • Reyes, J. C., Mead, James G., and Vanwaerebeek, K. 1991. "A New Species of Beaked-Whale Mesoplodon-Peruvianus Sp-N (Cetacea, Ziphiidae) from Peru." Marine Mammal Science, 7, (1) 1–24.
  • Brownell, Robert L., Jr. and Mead, James G. 1989. "Taxonomic Status of the Delphinid (Mammalia: Cetacea) Tursiops panope Philippi, 1895." Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 102, (2) 532–534.
  • Mead, James G. and Baker, A. N. 1987. "Notes on the Rare Beaked-Whale, Mesoplodon-Hectori (Gray)." Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 17, (3) 303–312.
  • Perrin, William F., Mitchell, E. D., Mead, James G., Caldwell, D. K., Caldwell, M. C., Vanbree, P. J. H., and Dawbin, W. H. 1987. "Revision of the Spotted Dolphins, Stenella Spp." Marine Mammal Science, 3, (2) 99–170.
  • Mead, James G. 1984. "Review of "Strandings, Ways to Save Whales: A Humane Conservationists Guide," by F. D. Robson." African Wildlife, 38, (4) 168–169.
  • Mead, James G. 1984. "Survey of Reproductive Data for the Beaked Whales (Ziphiidae)." Report of the International Whaling Commision, 91–96.
  • Mead, James G. 1981. "First Record of Mesoplodon hectori from the Northern Hemisphere and a Description of the Adult Male." Journal of mammalogy, 62, (2) 430–432.
  • Perrin, William F., Mitchell, E. D., Mead, James G., Caldwell, D. K., and Vanbree, P. J. H. 1981. "Stenella-Clymene, a Rediscovered Tropical Dolphin of the Atlantic." Journal of Mammalogy, 62, (3) 583–598.
  • Mead, James G., Odell, D. K., Wells, R. S., and Scott, M. D. 1980. "Observations on a Mass Stranding of Spinner Dolphin, Stenella-Longirostris, from the West-Coast of Florida." Fishery Bulletin, 78, (2) 353–360.
  • Testaverde, S. A. and Mead, James G. 1980. "Southern Distribution of the Atlantic Whitesided Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus-Acutus, in the Western North-Atlantic." Fishery Bulletin, 78, (1) 167–169.
  • Irvine, A. B., Scott, M. D., Wells, R. S., and Mead, James G. 1979. "Stranding of the Pilot Whale, Globicephala-Macrorhynchus, in Florida and South-Carolina." Fishery Bulletin, 77, (2) 511–513.
  • Arnason, U., Benirschke, K., Mead, James G., and Nichols, W. W. 1977. "Banded Karyotypes of 3 Whales - Mesoplodon-Europaeus, Mesoplodon-Carlhubbsi and Balaenoptera-Acutorostrata." Hereditas, 87, (2) 189–200.
  • Heyning, J. E. and Mead, James G. 1977. "Thermoregulation in the mouths of feeding gray whales." Science, 278, (5340) 1138–1139.
  • Mead, James G. 1977. "Records of Sei and Bryde's Whales from the Atlantic Coast of the United States, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean." Reports of the International Whaling Commission, 1 113–116.
  • Litchfield, C., Greenberg, A., and Mead, James G. 1976. "The Distinctive Character of Ziphiidae Head and Blubber Fats." Cetology, (23) 1–10.
  • Mead, James G. 1975. "Fossil Beaked Whale (Cetacea-Ziphiidae) from Miocene of Kenya." Journal of Paleontology, 49, (4) 745–751.
  • Mead, James G. 1975. "Preliminary Report on the Former Net Fisheries for Tursiops truncatus in the Western North-Atlantic." Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 32, (7) 1155–1162. https://doi.org/10.1139/f75-136.
  • Mead, James G. 1975. "Men and Whales at Scammon's Lagoon (Review)." Journal of Mammalogy, 56, (1) 285–286.
  • Mead, James G. and Payne, R. S. 1975. "Specimen of Tasman Beaked Whale, Tasmacetus-Shepherdi, from Argentina." Journal of Mammalogy, 56, (1) 213–218.
Dataset
  • Carroll, Emma L., McGowen, Michael R., McCarthy, Morgan L., Marx, Felix G., Aguilar De Soto, Natacha, Dalebout, Merel L., Dreyer, Sascha, Gaggiotti, Oscar E., Hansen, Sabine S., van Helden, Anton, Onoufriou, Aubrie B., Baird, Robin W., Baker, C. Scott, Berrow, Simon, Cholewiak, Danielle, Claridge, Diane, Constantine, Rochelle, Davison, Nicholas J., Eira, Catarina, Fordyce, R. Ewan, Gatesy, John, Hofmeyr, G. J. Greg, Martin, Vidal, Mead, James G., Mignucci-Giannoni, Antonio A. et al. 2021. [Dataset] Speciation in the abyss - genomics and morphology reveal a new species of beaked whale. Distributed by Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/DRYAD.WPZGMSBNQ.
Book Chapter
  • Nweeia, Martin T., Nutarak, Cornelius, Eichmiller, Frederick C., Eidelman, Naomi, Giuseppetti, Anthony A., Quinn, Janet, Mead, James G., K'issuk, Kaviqanguak, Hauschka, Peter V., Tyler, Ethan M., Potter, Charles W., Orr, Jack R., Avike, Rasmus, Nielsen, Pavia, and Angnatsiak, David. 2009. "Considerations Of Anatomy, Morphology, Evolution, and Function for Narwhal Dentition." In Smithsonian at the Poles: Contributions to International Polar Year Science. Krupnik, Igor, Lang, Michael A., and Miller, Scott E., editors. 223–240. In IPY. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.097884601X.16.
  • Mead, James G. and Brownell, Robert L., Jr. 2005. "Order Cetacea." In Mammal Species of the World, Third Edition. Wilson, Don E. and Reeder, D. M., editors. 723–743. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.
  • Mead, James G. and Dagit, Rosemary G. 2002. "Plates for Joseph Asaph Allen’s Unpublished Monograph on the Mammalian Orders Cete and Sirenia and a Record of the Search for the Manuscript." In Cenozoic mammals of land and sea : tributes to the career of Clayton E. Ray. 357–372. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. In Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology, 93. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00810266.93.357.
  • Perrin, William F. and Mead, James G. 1994. "Clymene dolphin Stenella clymene (Gray, 1846)." In 1994 Handbook of Marine Mammals. The First Book of Dolphins. Ridgway, S. H. and Harrison, R., editors. 161–171. New York: Academic Press.
  • Mead, James G. and Brownell, Robert L., Jr. 1993. "Order Cetacea." In Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. 723–743. The Johns Hopkins University Press. 1
  • Mead, James G. 1990. "Natural History of Bottlenose Dolphins Along the Central Atlantic Coast of the United States." In The Bottlenose Dolphin. 653. New York: Academic Press.
  • Mead, James G. 1990. "Sections on Mesoplodon hectori, M. mirus, M. europaeus, M. ginkgodens, M. grayi, M. stejnegeri, M. carlhubbsi, M. bowdoini, M. layardii, M. bidens and M. densirostris." In Whales and Dolphins. Martin, A. R., editor. 192. London and New York: Salamander Books ltd.
  • Mead, James G. 1989. "Bottlenose Whales Hyperoodon ampullatus (Forster, 1770) and Hyperoodon planifrons Flower, 1882." In Handbook of Marine Mammals, volume 4, River dolphins and the larger toothed whales. Ridgway, S. H. and Harrison, R., editors. 321–348. London: Academic Press.
  • Mead, James G. 1989. "Beaked whales of the genus Mesoplodon." In Handbook of Marine Mammals, volume 4, River dolphins and the larger toothed whales. Ridgway, S. H. and Harrison, R., editors. 349–430. London: Academic Press.
  • Mead, James G. 1989. "Shepherd's Beaked Whale - Tasmacetus shepherdi Oliver, 1937." In Handbook of Marine Mammals, volume 4. River dolphins and the larger toothed whales. Ridgway, S. H. and Harrison, R., editors. 309–320. London: Academic Press.
  • Mead, James G. and Potter, Charles W. 1988. "Seldom Seen Species." In The World's Whales -- A Closer Look. 103–109. Monterey, California: American Cetacean Society, Third Biennial Conference and Symposium.
  • Hansen, Larry J., Perrin, William F., Sokolov, Anatoli S., and Mead, James G. 1984. "A List of American and Soviet Institutions Possessing Collections of Osteological Specimens from Pinnipeds and Sea Otters." In Soviet-American Cooperative Research on Marine Mammals. Fay, F. H. and Fedoseev, G. A., editors. 101–104.
  • Mead, James G. and Mitchell, Edward D. 1984. "Atlantic Gray Whales." In The Gray Whale. Jones, Meredith L., Swartz, S. L., and Leatherwood, S., editors. 33–53.
  • Mead, James G. 1979. "An Analysis of Cetacean Strandings along the Eastern Coast of the United States." In Biology of Marine Mammals: Insights through Strandings. Geraci, J. B. and St. Aubin, D. J., editors. 54–68.
  • Skinder, C. and Mead, James G. 1979. "Marine Mammal Strandings: On Site Problems and Solutions." In Biology of Marine Mammals: Insights through Strandings. Geraci, J. B. and St. Aubin, D. J., editors. 248–261.
  • Reeves, R. R., Mead, James G., and Katona, S. 1978. "The Right Whale in the Western North Atlantic." In International Whaling Commission Twenty-eighth Report. 303–312.