walrus
Sign in to saveThe walrus (Odobenus rosmarus; plural walrus or walruses) is a large pinniped marine mammal with discontinuous distribution about the North Pole in the Arctic Ocean and subarctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. It is the only extant species in the family Odobenidae and genus Odobenus. This species is subdivided into two subspecies: the Atlantic walrus (O. r. rosmarus), which lives in the Atlantic Ocean, and the Pacific walrus (O. r. divergens), which lives in the Pacific Ocean.
AI overview
The walrus is a large marine mammal found in Arctic waters around the North Pole, and it is the only surviving member of its family. There are two types of walruses—the Atlantic walrus and the Pacific walrus—distinguished by which ocean they inhabit.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Wikidata facts
Show 6 more facts
- P141
- Vulnerable
- P105
- species
Article
23 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Taxonomy and evolution
- Anatomy
- Tusks and dentition
- Vibrissae (whiskers)
- Skin
- Life history
- Reproduction
- Migration
- Vagrancy
- Ecology
- Range and habitat
- Diet
- Predators
- Relationship with humans
- Conservation
- Culture
- Folklore
- Literature
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
The walrus (Odobenus rosmarus; plural walrus or walruses) is a large pinniped marine mammal with discontinuous distribution about the North Pole in the Arctic Ocean and subarctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. It is the only extant species in the family Odobenidae and genus Odobenus. This species is subdivided into two subspecies: the Atlantic walrus (O. r. rosmarus), which lives in the Atlantic Ocean, and the Pacific walrus (O. r. divergens), which lives in the Pacific Ocean.
Adult walrus are characterised by prominent tusks and whiskers, and considerable bulk; adult males in the Pacific can weigh more than and, among pinnipeds, are exceeded in size only by the two species of elephant seals. Walrus live mostly in shallow waters above the continental shelves, spending significant amounts of their lives on the sea ice looking for benthic bivalve molluscs. Walruses are relatively long-lived, social and intelligent animals, and are considered a keystone species of the Arctic marine region.