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Anatomy of the heart of the beluga whale ( Delphinapterus leucas )
Author(s) -
Bisaillon André,
Martineau Daniel,
StPierre Michèle A.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of morphology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1097-4687
pISSN - 0362-2525
DOI - 10.1002/jmor.1051910109
Subject(s) - beluga whale , leucas , biology , ventricle , anatomy , cardiac ventricle , cardiology , medicine , fishery , ecology , arctic
The heart of the beluga whale ( Delphinapterus leucas ) is described from the dissection of seven specimens. As in most whales the heart is characterized by a transverse broadness and a flatness of the ventricles from one surface to the other and by an apex formed by both ventricles. Heart size parameters are used for comparison with parameters of other marine and land mammals. The heart width index (heart height/heart circumference) averages 31.3 in comparison to 28.7 for the Weddell seal and 39.0 for the felids. The right ventricle is relatively long and narrow with a mean length index (TS/heart height) of 64.7 and a mean breadth index (TP/heart height) of 38.7. These heart parameters are discussed in functional terms.