New records of beaked whales, Genus Mesoplodon, from New Zealand (Cetacea : Ziphiidae)

Three species of beaked whales, Mesoplodon peruvianus, M. ginkgodens and M. densirostris, are newly recorded from New Zealand on the basis of stranded specimens, M. peruvianus was previously known from the eastern tropical Pa cific; M. ginkgodens from the sub-tropical and tropical waters of the wider Pacific and equatorial Indian Oceans, and M. densirostris from Australian and other warm temperate to tropical waters. Diagnostic skull characters fo r the three species are discussed and illustrated. Previous records of M. g inkgodens from the Chatham Islands, and M. densirostris from the east coast of New Zealand and Macquarie Island, are incorrect.