The first sighting was recorded by Paules Edward Pieris Deraniyagala in 1963 and the newly discovered species was named after him.

Observed distributions of M. hotaula strandings suggest that they prefer tropical habitats, as opposed to their closest known relative, the Ginko-Toothed Beaked Whale.

[3] It is thought that, like Cuvier's beaked whale, they live in insular populations (isolated communities).

[3][6] A pale, mottled cheek and white lower lip has been identified as a key indicator of the species.

[8] There are different phases of acoustic behavior that beaked whales exhibit during foraging dives.

This suggests that like most other mesoplodonts, Deraniyagala's beaked whale is capable of staying submerged for hours at a time.

[6] Plastic pollution is a major issue threatening the lives of beaked whales such as M. hotaula.

In addition to the direct physical impacts, ingestion of plastics can also negatively affect the behavior and reproductive success of marine animals.

The individuals suspected to be members of the species sighted in 2019 had unusual indentations on the lips, which researchers believed could have been caused by marine debris or fishing line.