Topzle Updated: Wikipedia source
The melon is a mass of adipose tissue found in the foreheads of all toothed whales. It focuses and modulates the animal's vocalizations and acts as a sound lens. It is thus a key organ involved in communication and echolocation.
| Outer melon | Inner melon | Spermaceti organ | ||
| Lipid content (weight) | 15–91% | 74–94% | 92–96% | |
| Lipid composition | Wax esters | 8–46% | 40–90% | 84–99% |
| Triglycerides | 54–92% | 10–69% | 1–16% | |
| Average number of carbons | Wax esters | 32–35 | 29–32 | 28–29 |
| Triglycerides | 47–51 | 41–46 | 45 | |