The dwarf and pygmy spenn whale (Kogia spp.) are known to occur in pelagic waters of all tropical and temperate oceans, but their record in South America is fragmentary. We reviewed the literature for records of both species in South America as part of documenting the first osteological record of the dwarf spenn whale (K. simus) in Colombia. The new Colombian specimen is only the sixth recorded so far frorn the Pacific coast of mainland South Arnerica, and the first osteological voucher of the species for Colombia. The biologica\ information of the two species in South America has increased in recent years as a result of increased presence of researchers in the region. A total of 21 records of K. breviceps. 23 of K. simus and 5 of Kogia sp. were studied, to analyze the species' zoogeography. Both whale species were found in most coastal nations of the Caribbean, Atlantic and Pacific, but appear to be rare in Uruguay, Argentina and Chile. No records exist for Venezuela, Trinidad, Guyana, Suriname. and French Guiana. Most of the records were in waters north of the Tropic of Capricom (23.5°S); differences in tropical distribution observed when comparing the latitudes of records from the east coast with the west coast are probably related to the prevailing currents and wáter masses. The distribution of both species of Kogia appears to be tied to the wanner water masses. and characterized as tropical pelagic, ranging as far south as 15ºS on the Pacific coast and 33°S on the Atlantic coast.