Beluga whale
Beluga whale
Mammal
A highly vocal, all-white whale that lives in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters.
💡 Fun Facts
- They are known as 'sea canaries' because of their high-pitched whistles and clicks.
- Unlike most whales, their neck vertebrae are not fused, allowing them to turn their heads.
- They lack a dorsal fin, which helps them swim easily under the ice.
Name Story
Delphinapterus leucas
means “The white dolphin without a fin”
What does its name mean?
- Delphinapterus — dolphin without a finGreek delphis 'dolphin' + a- 'without' + pteron 'fin'
- leucas — whiteGreek leukos
Unlike its dolphin relatives, the snowy-white beluga has no fin on its back — just a smooth ridge — so it can swim close beneath the Arctic ice. Its name means 'white', and so does the word 'beluga' in Russian.