独角鲸是海豚还是鲸鱼（一角鲸-海中独角兽）

北冰洋是一座独特的哺乳动物乐园，那里生存着很多地球上其他地方都找不到的哺乳动物，其中就有“海中独角兽”之称的独角鲸（Narwhal）它又被称为一角鲸，从中世纪开始，它就因为自己奇特的外形一直受到人们的关注，可是我们至今仍然未能全面揭开它的神秘面纱，我来为大家讲解一下关于独角鲸是海豚还是鲸鱼?跟着小编一起来看一看吧!

独角鲸是海豚还是鲸鱼

北冰洋是一座独特的哺乳动物乐园，那里生存着很多地球上其他地方都找不到的哺乳动物，其中就有“海中独角兽”之称的独角鲸（Narwhal）。它又被称为一角鲸，从中世纪开始，它就因为自己奇特的外形一直受到人们的关注，可是我们至今仍然未能全面揭开它的神秘面纱。

Narwhals are mythical creatures related to unicorns.

独角鲸是与独角兽有关的神秘生物。

They have a magical horn that grants wishes and they love rainbows. . .

它们有可以实现愿望的魔法尖角，还有它们喜欢彩虹，还有......

No, no, no, that's not right.

不不不，不太对。

There are lots of misconceptions and mystery surrounding narwhals.

独角鲸身上有许多误解和谜团。

Let's start with the horn.

我们先从角说起。

It's not a horn.

这其实不是角。

It's the narwhal's left front tooth.

是独角鲸口腔左前方的牙齿。

And it's not growing out of the forehead.

而这种牙齿并不是从它们的额头长出来的。

It grows out of the lip.

是从嘴里长出来的。

Other animals have teeth or tusks that grow outside of the mouth, like elephants and walrus, but their tusks are curved.

有些其他种类的动物的牙齿或长牙是从嘴巴外面长出来的，比如大象和海象，但它们的长牙是弯的。

The narwhal tooth is the only straight tusk in the world.

独角鲸的牙齿是世界上唯一一种直长牙。

It's also one of the few teeth that is a spiral shape.

也是为数不多的螺旋形牙齿之一。

The tooth grows in a counterclockwise spiral.

这种牙齿为逆时针螺旋状。

And it is flexible and can bend a foot in any direction without breaking.

而且很有弹性，往任何方向折一英尺都不会折断。

But that's not all.

不只这样。

The tooth is actually inside out compared to other animals.

与其它动物的相比，这种牙齿是里外相反的。

All the nerves are on the outside, which is a good reason that narwhals wouldn't want to use their sensitive tooth as a sword.

牙神经都在牙齿外侧，这也是为什么独角鲸不想把它们敏感的牙齿当成剑来使用。

In fact, narwhals have never been witnessed using their tusks to fight.

事实上，从未有人目击独角鲸使用自己的长牙来打架。

It is hard to know exactly what the tusk is used for, because narwhals do not survive in captivity.

很难判定这种长牙的用处，因为独角鲸被捕捉起来后无法存活。

Current theories suggest the tusk could be used to determine social rank, impress the ladies, or communicate information about the water it has traveled through.

目前推断这种长牙可以用来决定社会地位，吸引雌性，或者交流通过水域的信息。

Narwhals migrate seasonally and travel in pods through Arctic waters.

独角鲸是季节性迁徙的，且会成群通过北极海域。

Summers are often spent in the shallow, ice-free waters closer to the coast.

夏天它们常在靠近海边，较浅且没有冰的水域生活。

During the winter, they stay in a smaller area and live among the shifting ice and cracks.

在整个冬季，则在较小的区域活动，且生活在浮冰还有裂缝之间。

Their underwater life is very secretive.

它们的水下生活非常神秘。

No one has reported seeing narwhals eat or mate underwater.

从来没有人目睹独角鲸在水下进食或交配。

The mysterious narwhal has inspired myths around the world.

世界各地的许多神话传说都源自于这样神秘的独角鲸。

In the Middle Ages, the narwhal tusk was sold as a unicorn horn.

在中世纪，独角鲸的长牙被当作独角兽的角贩售。

Physicians believed it could cure the plague, increase virility, detect poison, and even raise the dead.

当时的医生相信其长牙可以治疗瘟疫、壮阳、测毒甚至起死回生。

No wonder it was worth 10 times its weight in gold and one of the most coveted substances in Europe.

也难怪它在当时值黄金价值的十倍，且是在欧洲最被垂涎的物品之一。

It is said that thrones of Danish kings, utensils of French royalty, and thanes' scepters were all the left front tooth of this mystical marvel.

据传丹麦国王的皇冠、法国皇室的餐具、领主的权杖都是由这神奇物种的左前方牙齿做成的。

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