The document discusses the beluga whale, including its taxonomic classification as Delphinapterus leucas. Belugas live in Arctic and subarctic waters around the northern hemisphere, preferring habitats with icebergs and floes with temperatures around 0 degrees Celsius. They are carnivorous, eating squid, fish, and other creatures. Belugas have distinctive physical features like seven flexible neck vertebrae and short flippers that allow them to navigate through ice. They are closely related to narwhals and fish like sailfish.

1. Beluga Whales
Delphinapterus leucas
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/animals/mam

2. Taxonomic Classification Delphinapterus= “Whale Without Fins”
Leucas= White
• Kingdom ---> Animalia
Phylum ---> Chordata
• Class ---> Mammalia
• Order ---> Cetacea
Family ---> Monodontidae
• Genus ---> Delphinapertus
Species ---> Delphinapterus leucas

3. Belugas
Live Where?

4. Northern Hemisphere
• Live in the Artic, and subarctic.
Inhabit the Arctic Ocean, its adjoining
seas, including the Sea of Okhotsk, the
Bering Sea, the Gulf of Alaska, the
Beaufort Sea, Baffin Bay, Hudson Bay,
and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
• Certain times of the year:large rivers
such as the Amur River of Russia, and
the Yukon and St. Lawrence rivers of
Canada.
• Habitat overlaps with Narwhal’s.

5. Home Sweet
Arctic

6. Characteristics of Habitat
• Icebergs and ice floes
water temperatures may be as low
as 0 ºC (32 ºF)
• swim in shallow coastal water
(often in water that barely covers
their bodies)- also swim in deeper
waters.
Summer- populations are found
in warm-water estuaries and river
basins.

7. Food?

8. Yum-Yum
• Swallow prey whole.
Carnivorous Eater: Squid,
fish, crustaceans, octopi,
and worms.
• Hunt in small groups
• Eat 2.5% - 3% of body
weight (50 lbs a day)
• Both benthic and
pelagic feeders.

9. Major Features
Of Physical Development

10. Major Physical Features
• 7 neck vertebrae not fused, which gives it
a flexible neck
Flippers are short, rounded, and wide-
can only swim 2-6 mph. Top speed= 14
mph for 15 min. Used to navigate through
the ice
• Muscular Flap- to open single blow hole.
Can be dive under water for 3-15 minutes .
• 34 teeth- not designed for chewing, but
for grabbing and tearing prey

11. Family
Are We Related?

12. Family Tree
• Closely related to
(whale species) the
Narwhale.
• Closely related to
sailfish and marlin (fish
type)
• Migrate with
Bowhead Whales

13. Interesting Facts
Very Interesting

14. FUN FACTS
• 40,000 to 80,000 Belugas around the world- on the
near threatened list
Use ecolocation
• Have the ability to swim backwards
• not a "true whale," but rather a water-breathing fish
closely related to the sailfish and marlin.
An average I.Q. of 155
• Belugas molt.