Facts about Narwhal Tusks Function
- 06
Growing in a counterclockwise spiral, a narwhal's tusk can reach nearly 10 feet in length and weigh up to 10 kilograms.
- 05
A 2014 study found that narwhal tusks function as sensory organs, detecting changes in water salinity, temperature, and pressure through their porous exterior.
- 04
In female narwhals, tusks are rarely present, making the tusk a strongly sexually dimorphic trait in this species.
- 03
Research using CT scanning has shown that narwhal tusks flex considerably under stress, suggesting a structural flexibility that contradicts their earlier classification as purely ornamental.
- 02
Male narwhals use their tusks in jousting behaviors with other males, a social activity linked to dominance and mating competition.
- 01
The narwhal tusk is actually an elongated canine tooth that grows through the upper lip and contains millions of nerve endings sensitive to environmental changes.