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Article: narwhal
- Article from:
- The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
CopyrightThe Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information)
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narwhal , a small arctic
whale
,
Monodon monoceros.
The males of this species, and an occasional female, bear a single, tightly spiraled tusk that measures up to 9 ft (2.7 m) in length. This tusk is an overgrown upper central incisor tooth, generally the one on the left. Very rarely do both incisors grow out in this manner; the animal is otherwise toothless. The tusk is nerve-rich and may be used as a sense organ and for other functions. The narwhal is short-headed and virtually snoutless. When mature, it is mottled gray in color. Like its close relative the
beluga
, it lacks a dorsal fin, but it does have a long, low dorsal hump. The narwhal may reach a length of 20 ft (6.1 m), ...
Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:
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Article: Conservationists stop sale of prized narwhal ivory.(News)
The Sunday Independent (South Africa);
January 25, 2009 ;
673 words
... ... Not only is the narwhal's single spear-like tusk (which can be ... The demand for tusks is increasing ... One of the main narwhal populations in ... at least four narwhal tusks in the past two ... 400 for a single tusk. - Foreign Service
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