Monodon monoceros Linnaeus 1758

• Main Authors: Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Lynx Edicions 2014
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Chordata; Mammalia; Cetacea; Monodontidae; Monodon; Monodon monoceros; Arctic Ocean; Hudson Bay; Labrador Sea; narwhal*; narval; narwal
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6602927; http://treatment.plazi.org/id/0A1287D06B7C9031FF6685A97A4A1596

1. Narwhal Monodon monoceros French: Narval / German: Narwal / Spanish: Narval Other common names: Horned Whale, Sea Unicorn, Unicorn Whale Taxonomy. Monodon monoceros Linnaeus, 1758, “Habitat in Oceano Septentrionali America, Europa” (= northern seas of Europe and America). This species is monotypic. Distribution. Circumpolar range, sightings have been made as far N as 85° N in the Arctic Ocean and as far S as ¢.60° N in Hudson Bay and the Labrador Sea; rarely seen In Siberian, Alaskan, or W Canadian Arctic waters. Descriptive notes. Total length 370-500 cm; weight 700-1800 kg. Male Narwhals are heavier and larger than females. The Narwhal has a blunt head and stout body that ends in a tapering tailstock with anchor-shaped tail flukes. At birth, young Narwhal’s skin is uneven gray or blue-gray, but it becomes dark gray in its first month. With age, Narwhals become progressively whiter. Ventral side and flanks become white with black or dark gray mottling; dorsal side remains black or dark brown, but it acquires flecks of white. Adult Narwhals remain black on head and dorsal ridge, and along edge of flippers and tail flukes. Males become much whiter with age than females. Although there are other interpretations, it is often reported that the name Narwhal is derived from “naar,” which meant “corpse” in Old Norse, and “hval,” which means “whale,” referring to the cadaver-like mottled skin of the whale. Most male Narwhals have a single long tooth, or tusk, that protrudes forward from the left side of the upper Jaw, or rostrum. This tusk can grow to 300 cm in old males and is very straight, with a tapered, spiraled ivory shaft ending in a smooth tip. Rarely, males can have twotusks, one on each side of the rostrum. A few females also have a single short, slender tusk. Unless one can see their genital slits, these tusked females can be mistaken for juvenile males, so the frequency of occurrence offemale tusks is not known. Most females are otherwise toothless. Habitat. Bays, fjords, and island passages in summer, ...