WoRMS taxon details
Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas, 1776)
137115 (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:137115)
accepted
Species
Balaena albicans Muller, 1776 · unaccepted (synonym)
Beluga angustata Cope, 1866 · unaccepted (synonym)
Beluga borealis Lesson, 1828 · unaccepted (synonym)
Beluga canadensis J. A. Allen, 1869 · unaccepted (synonym)
Beluga catodon Gray, 1846 · unaccepted (synonym)
Beluga concreta Cope, 1865 · unaccepted (synonym)
Beluga declivis Cope, 1865 · unaccepted (synonym)
Beluga glacialis Lesson, 1828 · unaccepted (synonym)
Beluga kingii Gray, 1846 · unaccepted (synonym)
Beluga rhinodon Cope, 1865 · unaccepted (synonym)
Catodon albicans Lacépède, 1804 · unaccepted (synonym)
Catodon candicans Lesson, 1828 · unaccepted (synonym)
Catodon sibbaldi Fleming, 1828 · unaccepted (synonym)
Cephalorhynchus hectori albus Kerr, 1792 · unaccepted (synonym)
Delphinapterus beluga Lacepede, 1804 · unaccepted (synonym)
Delphinapterus catodon Goode, 1884 · unaccepted (synonym)
Delphinapterus dorofeevi Klumov & Barabash, 1935 · unaccepted (synonym)
Delphinapterus freimani Klumov, 1935 · unaccepted (synonym)
Delphinapterus kingi Ogilby, 1893 · unaccepted (synonym)
Delphinus (Delphinapterus) kingii Gray, 1827 · unaccepted (synonym)
Delphinus albians Nilsson, 1820 · unaccepted (synonym)
Delphinus albicans Fabricius, 1780 · unaccepted (synonym)
Delphinus canadensis Desmarest, 1822 · unaccepted (synonym)
Delphinus leucas Pallas, 1776 · unaccepted (basionym)
Delphinus leucaster Gray, 1821 · unaccepted (synonym)
Delphinus phocaena albus Kerr, 1792 · unaccepted (synonym)
Inia canadensis Gray, 1846 · unaccepted (synonym)
Physeter macrocephalus albicans Kerr, 1792 · unaccepted (synonym)
- Subspecies Delphinapterus leucas freimani Tomilin, 1962 (uncertain > nomen dubium)
- Subspecies Delphinapterus leucas leucas (Pallas, 1776) (uncertain > nomen dubium)
- Subspecies Delphinapterus leucas marisalbi Ostroumov, 1935 (uncertain > nomen dubium)
marine, brackish, fresh, terrestrial
(of Delphinus leucas Pallas, 1776) Pallas, P. S. (1776). Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des Russischen Reichs. Vol. 3. <em>Kayserliche Academie der Wissenschaften, St. Petersburg.</em> 1-454., available online at https://gdz.sub.uni-goettingen.de/id/PPN330048503 [details] 
Note Mouth of Ob River, northeastern Siberia,...
From editor or global species database
Type locality Mouth of Ob River, northeastern Siberia, Russian Federation [details]
Distribution Subarctic area
Distribution East Pacific; Eastern Atlantic Ocean, Europe and Northern Asia (excluding China); Indo-West Pacific; Western Atlantic Ocean
Distribution Subarctic area [details]
Distribution East Pacific; Eastern Atlantic Ocean, Europe and Northern Asia (excluding China); Indo-West Pacific; Western Atlantic Ocean
Distribution East Pacific; Eastern Atlantic Ocean, Europe and Northern Asia (excluding China); Indo-West Pacific; Western Atlantic Ocean [details]
Fordyce, E.; Perrin, W.F. (2025). World Cetacea Database. Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas, 1776). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=137115 on 2025-05-13
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Nomenclature
original description
(of Delphinus leucas Pallas, 1776) Pallas, P. S. (1776). Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des Russischen Reichs. Vol. 3. <em>Kayserliche Academie der Wissenschaften, St. Petersburg.</em> 1-454., available online at https://gdz.sub.uni-goettingen.de/id/PPN330048503 [details]
basis of record van der Land, J. (2001). Tetrapoda, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 375-376 (look up in IMIS) [details]
basis of record van der Land, J. (2001). Tetrapoda, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 375-376 (look up in IMIS) [details]
Ecology
ecology source
Looby, A.; Erbe, C.; Bravo, S.; Cox, K.; Davies, H. L.; Di Iorio, L.; Jézéquel, Y.; Juanes, F.; Martin, C. W.; Mooney, T. A.; Radford, C.; Reynolds, L. K.; Rice, A. N.; Riera, A.; Rountree, R.; Spriel, B.; Stanley, J.; Vela, S.; Parsons, M. J. G. (2023). Global inventory of species categorized by known underwater sonifery. <em>Scientific Data.</em> 10(1). (look up in IMIS), available online at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02745-4 [details]
Other
additional source
Carwardine, M., E. Hoyt, R. E. Fordyce and P. Gill. 1998. Whales, dolphins and porpoises. Time-Life Books. Nature Company Guides, USA. 288 p. [details]
additional source Animal Diversity Web. <em>University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.</em> , available online at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/index.html [details]
additional source Mead, J. G.; Brownell, R. L. Jr. (2005). Cetacea. <em>In Wilson, D.E. & D.M. Reeder (eds). Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed), Johns Hopkins University Press, 2,142 pp.</em> 723--743., available online at http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/ [details]
additional source Rice, D. W. (1998). Marine mammals of the world. Systematics and distribution. <em>Society for Marine Mammalogy Special Publication.</em> 4., available online at http://www.marinemammalscience.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/MarineMammalsOfTheWorld.pdf [details]
additional source Hershkovitz, P. (1966). Catalog of Living Whales. <em>Bulletin of the United States National Museum.</em> (246): 1-259., available online at https://doi.org/10.5479/si.03629236.246 [details]
additional source Jefferson, T. A., M. A. Webber and R. L. Pitman. (2008). Marine mammals of the world. Academic Press, Amsterdam. [details]
additional source IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, available online at http://www.iucnredlist.org [details]
additional source Perrin, W.F.; Würsig, B.; Thewissen, J.G.M. (2009). Encyclopedia of marine mammals. Second edition. Academic Press: London. ISBN 978-0-12-373553-9. xxix, 1316 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source Leatherwood, S., R. R. Reeves, W. F. Perrin and W. E. Evans. (1982). Whales, dolphins, and porpoises of the eastern North Pacific and adjacent Arctic waters. A guide to their identification. NOAA Technical Report NMFS Circular 444. 245pp. [details]
additional source Stewart, B. E. and R. E. A. Stewart. (1989). Delphinapterus leucas. Mammalian Species 336:1--8. [details]
additional source Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). , available online at http://www.itis.gov [details]
additional source Animal Diversity Web. <em>University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.</em> , available online at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/index.html [details]
additional source Mead, J. G.; Brownell, R. L. Jr. (2005). Cetacea. <em>In Wilson, D.E. & D.M. Reeder (eds). Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed), Johns Hopkins University Press, 2,142 pp.</em> 723--743., available online at http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/ [details]
additional source Rice, D. W. (1998). Marine mammals of the world. Systematics and distribution. <em>Society for Marine Mammalogy Special Publication.</em> 4., available online at http://www.marinemammalscience.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/MarineMammalsOfTheWorld.pdf [details]
additional source Hershkovitz, P. (1966). Catalog of Living Whales. <em>Bulletin of the United States National Museum.</em> (246): 1-259., available online at https://doi.org/10.5479/si.03629236.246 [details]
additional source Jefferson, T. A., M. A. Webber and R. L. Pitman. (2008). Marine mammals of the world. Academic Press, Amsterdam. [details]
additional source IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, available online at http://www.iucnredlist.org [details]
additional source Perrin, W.F.; Würsig, B.; Thewissen, J.G.M. (2009). Encyclopedia of marine mammals. Second edition. Academic Press: London. ISBN 978-0-12-373553-9. xxix, 1316 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source Leatherwood, S., R. R. Reeves, W. F. Perrin and W. E. Evans. (1982). Whales, dolphins, and porpoises of the eastern North Pacific and adjacent Arctic waters. A guide to their identification. NOAA Technical Report NMFS Circular 444. 245pp. [details]
additional source Stewart, B. E. and R. E. A. Stewart. (1989). Delphinapterus leucas. Mammalian Species 336:1--8. [details]
additional source Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). , available online at http://www.itis.gov [details]
Present Present in aphia/obis/gbif/idigbio Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
From editor or global species database
Holotype None preserved. Name based on freshly harpooned animals. [details]IUCN Red List Category subpopulation Cook Inlet beluga whale : Critically Endangered (CR) [details]
IUCN Red List Category Near Threatened (NT) [details]
Importance Belugas have been hunted for centuries for a variety of products. Beluga meat has been used to feed humans and domestic animals, the blubber used in making soap, lubricants, and margarine, and the fat of the head as a high quality lubricant. The skin has been tanned to make boots and laces. Current use is for aboriginal subsistence. [details]
Morphology Distinguishing characteristics: Belugas are white-colored whales with a fusiform body shape and a large melon on the head. This melon is thought by some to focus echolocation tones, although this is in question. The melon can also be used as an indicator of health (poorly nourished belugas have low flat melons while well fed individuals have round melons) and of emotional state--agressive individuals raise their melons forward. There are no dorsal fins. Thirty-eight teeth are present. Males are larger than females. [details]
Reproduction Calving occurs between April and September. Gestation is one year. Weaned in 1.5-2years. [details]
Type locality Mouth of Ob River, northeastern Siberia, Russian Federation [details]
Unreviewed
Diet large variety of fish, various crustaceans and other bottom living invertebrates [details]Dimensions Length: male 12-18' (3.7-5.5 m), female 10-13 1/2' (3-4.1 m), at birth 5'+ (1.5 m +); Weight: 500-1500 kg [details]
Distribution Subarctic area [details]
Distribution East Pacific; Eastern Atlantic Ocean, Europe and Northern Asia (excluding China); Indo-West Pacific; Western Atlantic Ocean [details]
Habitat inshore including estuaries and rivers in summer, sometimes offshore [details]
Habitat mostly coastal, also in estuaries and rivers [details]
Predators None [details]
| Language | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| Aleut | bechurinka | [details] |
| Anus | pechuga | [details] |
| Chukot | puuliak | [details] |
| Czech | běluha mořská | [details] |
| Danish | hvidhvalhvidfisk | [details] |
| Dutch | witviswitte dolfijnbeloega | [details] |
| English | white whalewhite fishwhale porpoisesea canarybulugabeluga | [details] |
| Even | zatcha | [details] |
| French | moine de mermarsouin blancdelphinaptère blancdauphin blancbélougabaleine blanche | [details] |
| German | WeisswalWeissfisch | [details] |
| Icelandic | mjaldurhuitingar | [details] |
| Inuktitut | qilalgaq | [details] |
| Inupiaq | situaq (Bering Strait)sisuaq (Northern Alaska) | [details] |
| Italian | belugabalena bianca | [details] |
| Japanese | shiro iruka | [details] |
| Kalaallisut | qaqortoqkulelulak | [details] |
| Khanty | vising-totlengvisingkh-potlaengkh | [details] |
| Korean | hin-gorae | [details] |
| Koryak | iinagik | [details] |
| Lithuanian | baltasis delfinas | [details] |
| Modern Greek (1453-) | Μπελούγκα | [details] |
| Nenets | fiborska | [details] |
| Norwegian | hvithvalhvitfiskhvidfisk | [details] |
| Norwegian Bokmål | hvithval | [details] |
| Norwegian Nynorsk | kvitkval | [details] |
| Polish | białucha | [details] |
| Russian | белухаmorkskaia belukhabelukha | [details] |
| Slovenian | beluga | [details] |
| Spanish | belugaballena blanca | [details] |
| Swedish | vitvalhvitfiskhvitagtik delphinhrafu-reydur | [details] |
| Turkish | beyaz balinabeluga balinasıbelugaak balina | [details] |
| Ukrainian | Білухабілуга | [details] |
| Welsh | morfil gwyn | [details] |
| Yupik languages | pulzaqkeelalugacetuaq | [details] |
To Barcode of Life (13 barcodes)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (1 publication) (from synonym Catodon candicans Lesson, 1828)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (1 publication) (from synonym Delphinus leucaster Gray, 1821)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (1 publication) (from synonym Delphinus phocaena albus Kerr, 1792)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (11 publications) (from synonym Beluga canadensis J. A. Allen, 1869)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (11 publications) (from synonym Beluga concreta Cope, 1865)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (12 publications) (from synonym Beluga angustata Cope, 1866)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (138 publications) (from synonym Delphinus leucas Pallas, 1776)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (14 publications) (from synonym Beluga declivis Cope, 1865)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (17 publications) (from synonym Catodon albicans Lacépède, 1804)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (19 publications) (from synonym Beluga rhinodon Cope, 1865)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (2 publications) (from synonym Physeter macrocephalus albicans Kerr, 1792)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (21 publications) (from synonym Delphinus albians Nilsson, 1820)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (22 publications) (from synonym Delphinus canadensis Desmarest, 1822)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (3 publications) (from synonym Delphinapterus freimani Klumov, 1935)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (35 publications) (from synonym Balaena albicans Muller, 1776)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (359 publications)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (37 publications) (from synonym Beluga borealis Lesson, 1828)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (4 publications) (from synonym Delphinus (Delphinapterus) kingii Gray, 1827)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (4 publications) (from synonym Inia canadensis Gray, 1846)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (45 publications) (from synonym Delphinapterus beluga Lacepede, 1804)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (5 publications) (from synonym Delphinapterus kingi Ogilby, 1893)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (6 publications) (from synonym Delphinapterus dorofeevi Klumov & Barabash, 1935)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (61 publications) (from synonym Delphinus albicans Fabricius, 1780)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (7 publications) (from synonym Beluga glacialis Lesson, 1828)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (92 publications) (from synonym Beluga catodon Gray, 1846)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Delphinapterus leucas)
To GenBank (139136 nucleotides; 53618 proteins)
To GenBank (139136 nucleotides; 53618 proteins) (from synonym Delphinus leucas Pallas, 1776)
To Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI)
To IUCN Red List (Least Concern)
To NMNH Extant Collection (USNM 504339 Delphinapterus leucas Radiograph 001)
To NMNH Extant Collection (USNM 571021 Delphinapterus leucas Radiograph 001)
To PESI
To ITIS
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (1 publication) (from synonym Catodon candicans Lesson, 1828)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (1 publication) (from synonym Delphinus leucaster Gray, 1821)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (1 publication) (from synonym Delphinus phocaena albus Kerr, 1792)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (11 publications) (from synonym Beluga canadensis J. A. Allen, 1869)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (11 publications) (from synonym Beluga concreta Cope, 1865)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (12 publications) (from synonym Beluga angustata Cope, 1866)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (138 publications) (from synonym Delphinus leucas Pallas, 1776)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (14 publications) (from synonym Beluga declivis Cope, 1865)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (17 publications) (from synonym Catodon albicans Lacépède, 1804)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (19 publications) (from synonym Beluga rhinodon Cope, 1865)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (2 publications) (from synonym Physeter macrocephalus albicans Kerr, 1792)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (21 publications) (from synonym Delphinus albians Nilsson, 1820)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (22 publications) (from synonym Delphinus canadensis Desmarest, 1822)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (3 publications) (from synonym Delphinapterus freimani Klumov, 1935)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (35 publications) (from synonym Balaena albicans Muller, 1776)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (359 publications)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (37 publications) (from synonym Beluga borealis Lesson, 1828)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (4 publications) (from synonym Delphinus (Delphinapterus) kingii Gray, 1827)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (4 publications) (from synonym Inia canadensis Gray, 1846)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (45 publications) (from synonym Delphinapterus beluga Lacepede, 1804)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (5 publications) (from synonym Delphinapterus kingi Ogilby, 1893)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (6 publications) (from synonym Delphinapterus dorofeevi Klumov & Barabash, 1935)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (61 publications) (from synonym Delphinus albicans Fabricius, 1780)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (7 publications) (from synonym Beluga glacialis Lesson, 1828)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (92 publications) (from synonym Beluga catodon Gray, 1846)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Delphinapterus leucas)
To GenBank (139136 nucleotides; 53618 proteins)
To GenBank (139136 nucleotides; 53618 proteins) (from synonym Delphinus leucas Pallas, 1776)
To Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI)
To IUCN Red List (Least Concern)
To NMNH Extant Collection (USNM 504339 Delphinapterus leucas Radiograph 001)
To NMNH Extant Collection (USNM 571021 Delphinapterus leucas Radiograph 001)
To PESI
To ITIS
