Delphinapterus is a genus of toothed whales containing a single living species, the beluga whale, one of two living members of the family Monodontidae. Belugas are known for their all white coloration, the absence of a dorsal fin, replaced by a dorsal ridge, and a large deformable melon used in echolocation; unlike most cetaceans their seven neck vertebrae are not fused, allowing lateral head movement. The genus has a discontinuous circumpolar distribution across Arctic and sub-Arctic waters near Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Russia, with a global population estimated around 200,000.
Facts
Classification
Living or Extinct Taxonomic Rank Sources
1. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)
Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ16628343, descriptionView the Source 2. Wikipedia: Beluga whale
Taxonomic rank (Wikipedia confirms the entity; rank from slug/structure-wave classification)View the Source Wikidata: Beluga Whale
Wikidata Q132072, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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