Beluga Whale Skull Replica

$630.00

The Beluga Whale is adapted to life in the Arctic, with anatomical and physiological characteristics that differentiate it from other cetaceans. Amongst these are its all-white color and the absence of a dorsal fin, which allows it to swim under ice with ease.

Description

Beluga Whale Skull Replica measures 19.6 inches. Beluga Whale Skull Replica is museum quality polyurethane cast. Made in the USA. 2-part skull (separate cranium and jaw). Cast of an original California Academy of Sciences specimen. Call 509-951-3557 for shipping quote. Our precise skull can be displayed as a teaching tool, museum skull exhibit, or an aquarium skull attraction.

The Beluga Whale or Delphinapterus leucas is an Arctic and sub-Arctic cetacean. It is also known as the White whale and Sea Canary, as it is the only cetacean of this color; the sea canary, due to its high-pitched calls; and the melon head, more commonly refers to the melon headed whale, which is an oceanic dolphin.

Like most toothed whales, Beluga Whale or Delphinapterus leucas has a compartment found at the center of the forehead that contains an organ used for echolocation called a melon, which contains fatty tissue.

The shape of the Beluga Whale or Delphinapterus leucas head is unlike that of any other cetacean, as the melon is extremely bulbous, lobed and visible as a large frontal prominence.

The Beluga Whale or Delphinapterus leucas body is round, particularly when well fed, and tapers less smoothly to the head than the tail.

The sudden tapering to the base of its neck gives it the appearance of shoulders, unique among cetaceans. The tail fin grows and becomes increasingly and ornately curved as the animal ages.

The flippers are broad and short, making them almost square shaped. Beluga Whales are the only whales that can bend their necks.

The Beluga Whale or Delphinapterus leucas are gregarious and forms groups of 10 animals on average, although during the summer, they can gather in the hundreds or even thousands in estuaries and shallow coastal areas. They are slow swimmers, but can dive to 2,300 feet below the surface.

They are opportunistic feeders and their diets vary according to their locations and the season.

The Beluga Whale or Delphinapterus leucas feeding habits depend on their locations and the season. the diets of these cetaceans consist mainly of capelin, smelt, sole, flounder, herring, sculpin and other types of salmon.

They also consume a great quantity of invertebrates, such as shrimp, squid, crabs, clams, octopus, sea snails, bristle worms and other deep-sea species.

Scientific classification:
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Infraorder: Cetacea
Family: Monodontidae
Genus: Delphinapterus
Lacépède, 1804
Species: D. leucas
Binomial name: Delphinapterus leucas
Conservation status: Least Concern

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Additional information

Weight 20 lbs
Dimensions 19.6 in
World Whale Day - 3rd Sunday of February

World Whale Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of February each year to recognize whales and raise awareness of the threats they face. The day began in Maui, Hawaii in 1980 to honor the humpback whales that migrate to the islands each winter to give birth. The Pacific Whale Foundation organizes events that include parades, activities for children, and fun characters.