Olfactory lobes of the brain are absent in all toothed whales, suggesting that they have no sense of smell. Studies on belugas in zoological environments indicate that they seek out physical contact with other belugas.īiologists have noted sensory areas in beluga whale mouths that may function in taste. This tear-like film may also protect the eyes from infectious organisms.īelugas have excellent eyesight in and out of the water. Glands at the inner corners of the eye sockets secrete an oily, jelly-like mucus that lubricates the eyes and washes away debris. But a popular image of a surfacing beluga has for years created the curious illusion of a. (Rod cells respond to lower light levels than cone cells do.) As with other whales, belugas lack short wave-length sensitive visual pigments in their cone cells indicating a more limited capacity for color vision than most land mammals. J> Science > Environment Beluga whales aren't hiding legs under their thick, rubbery skin. In air, certain features of the lens and cornea correct for the nearsightedness that results from the refraction (bending) of light rays as they go from water to air.Ī beluga's retinas contain both rod and cone cells, indicating that they may have the ability to see in both dim and bright light.
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Eyesightīeluga whales have acute vision both in and out of the water.Ī beluga's eye is particularly adapted for seeing in water. Other scientists believe that a beluga whale's external ear openings are nonfunctional.īelugas have a tiny external ear opening a few inches behind each eye. Some scientists believe that beluga whales receive sounds through these openings. Each opening leads to a reduced ear canal and an eardrum.
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Sounds are received and conducted through the lower jaw to the middle ear, inner ear, and then to hearing centers in the brain via the auditory nerve. Within this very thin, hollow bone is a fat deposit that extends back toward the auditory bulla (earbone complex). The lower jaw of toothed whales broadens and is hollow at the base, where it hinges with the skull. The fat-filled lower jawbone appears to conduct sound waves through the jaw to bones in the middle ears.A beluga may also receive sound through soft tissue and bone surrounding the ear. Although whales are expert swimmers and perfectly adapted to life underwater, these marine mammals once walked on four legs. Most sound reception probably takes place through the lower jaw. So, it appears that the color of the pen beluga whale is what identifies them most- the brighter the color is, the better Associated Press.In a study using two trained beluga whales in an open-ocean environment, scientists found that the sensitivity of a beluga's hearing does not change with depth. In comparison, the average hearing range for humans is about 0.02 to 20 kHz. The auditory cortex of the brain is highly developed.Ī beluga whale can hear sounds in the range of 1.2 to 120 kHz, with a peak sensitivity of about 10 to 75 kHz.
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Beluga whales have a well-developed, acute sense of hearing.