Delphinapterus leucas

E1005703

Delphinapterus leucas is the beluga whale, a small, white, toothed Arctic and sub-Arctic cetacean known for its vocalizations and lack of a dorsal fin.

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Observed surface forms (1)

Statements (71)

Predicate Object
instanceOf beluga whale
cetacean
marine mammal
species
toothed whale
adaptation seasonal migration with sea ice
thick blubber layer
averageFemaleLength 3.0–4.1 m
averageFemaleMass 700–1200 kg
averageMaleLength 4.0–5.5 m
averageMaleMass 1100–1600 kg
bodyColor white
calvingInterval about 3 years
canEcholocate true
class Mammalia
commonName beluga
beluga whale
white whale
culturalSignificance important subsistence resource
describedBy Peter Simon Pallas NERFINISHED
diet cephalopods
crustaceans
fish
diveDepth over 700 m
diveDuration up to about 25 minutes
family Monodontidae NERFINISHED
foundIn Beaufort Sea NERFINISHED
Bering Sea NERFINISHED
Chukchi Sea NERFINISHED
Cook Inlet NERFINISHED
Hudson Bay NERFINISHED
Okhotsk Sea NERFINISHED
St. Lawrence Estuary NERFINISHED
White Sea NERFINISHED
genus Delphinapterus NERFINISHED
gestationPeriod about 14–15 months
groupName pod
habitat cold marine waters
sea ice edges
hasDorsalFin false
hasDorsalRidge true
hasMelon true
hasTeeth true
IUCNRedListCategorySystem IUCN 3.1
IUCNStatus Least Concern
juvenileColor grey
kingdom Animalia
knownFor wide range of vocalizations
maximumLifespan about 60–70 years
nativeTo Arctic Ocean NERFINISHED
coastal waters
continental shelf areas
estuaries
sub-Arctic regions
nickname canary of the sea
order Cetacea
phylum Chordata
reproduction viviparous
sexualMaturityAge about 4–7 years
snoutShape bulbous forehead
socialStructure gregarious
swimmingSpeed up to about 22 km/h
taxonRank species
threat climate change
noise disturbance
pollution
ship traffic
subsistence hunting
toothCount about 34–40 teeth
usedBy Indigenous Arctic peoples
yearDescribed 1776

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Cook Inlet beluga whale parentTaxon Delphinapterus leucas
Cook Inlet beluga whale scientificName Delphinapterus leucas
this entity surface form: Delphinapterus leucas (Cook Inlet population)