為什么白鯨軟綿綿的腦袋如此特別

為什么白鯨軟綿綿的腦袋如此特別

Belugas are small white whales known as the "canaries of the sea" for the wide range of vocal sounds they make. They produce an impressive collection of clicks, chirrups, squeaks, whistles and bleats.

白鯨是一種被稱為“海洋金絲雀”的小型白鯨，因?yàn)樗鼈兡馨l(fā)出各種各樣的聲音，它們發(fā)出令人印象深刻的咔噠聲、唧唧聲、吱吱聲、口哨聲和嗚嗚聲。

As the BBC points out, belugas make all these sounds despite having no vocal cords. Instead they "speak" through nasal sacs located around their blowhole.

正如BBC所指出的，白鯨雖然沒(méi)有聲帶，卻能發(fā)出所有這些聲音。事實(shí)上，它們通過(guò)位于氣孔周圍的鼻囊“說(shuō)話”。

These Arctic whales are also known for the distinctive rounded structure on the top of their forehead. Called a "melon," the bulbous structure is just in front of the whale's blowhole.

這些北極鯨也因其前額上獨(dú)特的圓形結(jié)構(gòu)而聞名，這種球狀結(jié)構(gòu)被稱為“甜瓜”，就在鯨魚的氣孔前面。

The beluga's melon helps direct all the noises it makes. (Photo: CJ Larsen/Shutterstock)

While these whales are talking through their noses, they're able to direct those sounds using their melons. Belugas wiggle their melons to focus sounds in specific directions. During whale vocalizations, researchers have watched melons changed shape, reports Whale and Dolphin Conservation.

當(dāng)這些鯨魚通過(guò)鼻子“說(shuō)話”時(shí)，它們能夠用它們的“甜瓜結(jié)構(gòu)”來(lái)指揮這些聲音，白鯨擺動(dòng)著它們的“甜瓜”，把聲音集中到特定的方向。據(jù)鯨魚和海豚保護(hù)組織報(bào)道，在鯨魚發(fā)聲的過(guò)程中，研究人員觀察到瓜的形狀發(fā)生了變化。

The squishy blob is also believed to be key in helping with ecolocation "clicks," the echoing calls that some animals use to help find and identify objects. According to the Georgia Aquarium, the melon focuses and projects echolocation signals through the water.

這個(gè)粘糊糊的團(tuán)狀物也被認(rèn)為是幫助實(shí)現(xiàn)生態(tài)定位“點(diǎn)擊”的關(guān)鍵，一些動(dòng)物用這種回聲般的叫聲來(lái)幫助尋找和識(shí)別物體。根據(jù)喬治亞水族館的說(shuō)法，這種瓜能在水中發(fā)出回聲定位信號(hào)。

Because the melon is made of lipids or fatty tissue, it's flexible and can change shape. That allows the beluga to make different facial expressions, reports the World Wildlife Fund.

由于“甜瓜”是由脂質(zhì)或脂肪組織構(gòu)成的，所以它很有彈性，可以改變形狀。據(jù)世界野生動(dòng)物基金會(huì)報(bào)道，這使得白鯨可以做出不同的面部表情。

Beluga whales make a series of sounds including chirrups, whistles, squeaks and bleats. (Photo: Elena Yakusheva/Shutterstock)

All toothed whales (not baleen whales) have melons, but only the beluga's melon is squishy with the ability to change shapes.

所有的齒鯨(不是長(zhǎng)須鯨)都有瓜，但只有白鯨的瓜是軟的，還可以改變形狀。

The beluga can change the shape of its melon, which can also change its facial expression. (Photo: Miles Away Photography/Shutterstock)