Chapter 12 Flashcards
What are marine mammals?
Mammals that live and feed in the marine (aquatic) environment
What are Mammals
Mammary glands – nurse young with milk
Hair
Diaphragm
Vertebrate Comparisons
Fishes – Poikilotherms, 2 chambers, Scales
Reptiles – Poikilotherms, 3 chambers, Scales
Birds – Homeotherms, 4 chambers, Feathers
Mammals – Homeotherms, 4 chambers, Hair
Homeothermic
refers to the ability of an animal to maintain a constant body temperature
Mammary glands
are the milk producing glands of mammals
Placental mammals
are mammals that retain their young inside their body until they are ready to be born
Placenta
is an organ found in pregnant placental mammals that sustains the young until they are born
Order Carnivora
Carnivora
Polar bears, sea otters, seals, sea lions, walruses
Order Sirenia
Sirenia
Manatees, dugongs
Order Cetacea
Cetacea
Baleen whales, toothed whales (e.g. sperm,
dolphin, beluga, porpoise)
5 Families of Marine Mammals
Carnivora
Mustelidae – Sea otter
Ursidae – Polar bear
Phocidae – Seals (true seal)
Otariidae – Sea lions (eared seals)
Odobenidae - Walrus
Family Mustelidae members, distribution and diet
Carnivora
Sea otters are found along the coasts of the North Pacific; live and feed in kelp forests
Eat urchins and molluscs (25% body wt/day)
Family Mustelidae features
Carnivora
Webbed 5-digit fore and hind limbs
Densest animal fur (350,000 per in2)
Family Mustelidae life style and behaviors
Carnivora
Spend virtually all of their lives in the water
Are constantly grooming their fur to maintain the waterproof insulating quality of the underfur
Family Mustelidae importance
Carnivora
Keystone species in kelp forests; when otters decline, kelp declines
Family Ursidae members, diet, and distribution
Carnivora
Polar Bears are the largest bear species, land carnivore in North America and the top predator in the arctic marine ecosystem
Primarily feed on ringed seals; eat their blubber
Family Ursidae features
Carnivora
Partially webbed forepaws; strong swimmers
Family Ursidae hunting
Carnivora
Hunt seals primarily along pack-ice or fast-ice
Finds seal burrows by scent; collapses them
Pinniped
Carnivora
is a marine mammal with flipper-like appendages; “feather-footed”
34-36 species – (25% of marine mammals)
Family Phocidae members
Carnivora
true seals
Family Otariidae members
Carnivora
Eared/fur seals
Family Odobenidae members
Carnivora
Walruses
Phocids
Carnivora
are seals that lack external ears and are known are true seals
- Hawaiian monk seal
Otariids
Carnivora
are seals that have external ear flaps and are known as sea lions or fur seals
- California sea lion
Pinniped Swimming
Carnivora
Pinnipeds are accomplished swimmers and divers; can typically swim as fast as cetaceans (whales & dolphins) but only for short durations
Pinniped Diving
Carnivora
Pinnipeds are some of the longest and deepest diving mammal; Phocids dive deeper and longer than Otariids
Diving Adaptations
Carnivora
Cease breathing during diving events
which causes conflicting conditions
1. O2 stores ↓ with ↑ activity (O2 demand)
2. CO2 & lactate ↑ in blood & muscle
Once O2 is used up, muscle activity is maintained anaerobically which results in
↑ accumulation of lactate
Hemoglobin
O2 binding molecule of red blood cells; can deliver O2 where needed
Myoglobin
O2 binding molecule of muscle cells; delivers O2 directly to muscles
Hematocrit
packed red blood cell volume; hemoglobin volume – higher in mammals with increased diving capacity
Dive Response
During dive, available O2 ↓ (hypoxia) and CO2 ↑ (hypercapnia)
Together create asphyxia
Anaerobic diving
a dive that does not use O2; lactic acid & H+ ions accumulate
Bradycardia
decline in heart rate
Ischemia
preferential distribution of blood to O2 sensitive organs; temperature & metabolic rate
Decreased heart rate varies from
modest (sirenians), moderate (cetaceans) extreme (phocids)
Phocids (besides elephant seals) reproduction
Carnivora
typically give birth with individual females residing alone
Otariids reproduction
Carnivora
typically aggregate in large numbers at an established breeding beach or rookery to give birth
Polygynous
refers to the situation in which a males mates with more than one female
Seasonal delayed implantation
is a process in which the implantation of an embryo in the mother’s uterus is delayed in order to allow for birth to occur at the most opportune time
Gestation period
the period of pregnancy
Process where that fertilized egg undergoes several cell divisions forming a Blastocyst
Blastocyst
is an early developmental stage in mammals characterized by a hollow mass of cells
The blastocyst can remain in the female’s uterus for weeks to months before continuing development
Lactation period
is the period of time that a female mammal is producing milk and nursing her young
Most energetically expensive aspect of reproduction
Best interest to pass as much energy as possibly even at expense of future offspring
Fasting Lactation Strategy
Example: Northern elephant seal
Carnivora
Duration of fasting: All of lactation
Duration of lactation: Short (4-weeks)
Fat content of milk: High (55%)
Pups forage during lactation: No
Foraging Cycle Lactation Strategy
Example: Antarctic fur seal
Carnivora
Duration of fasting: Variable (few days)
Duration of lactation: Intermediate (4-months)
Fat content of milk: Intermediate (40%)
Pups forage during lactation: No
Aquatic Nursing Lactation Strategy
Example: Walrus
Carnivora
Duration of fasting: Short (hours-days)
Duration of lactation: Long (2-3 years)
Fat content of milk: Low (2-3%)
Pups forage during lactation: Yes
Family Otariidae subfamilies
Carnivora
Subfamily Arctocephalinae – Fur seals
- Dense pelage
Subfamily Otariinae – Sea Lions
- Pelage sparse
Family Phocidae
Subfamily Monachinae
members
Carnivora
Hydrurga leptonyx
- leopard seal
Antarctic seals
Neomonachus schauinslandi
- Hawaiian monk seal
Monk seals
Mirounga angustirostris
- northern elephant seal
Elephant seals
Family Phocidae
Subfamily Phocinae
members
Carnivora
Phoca vitulina
- harbor (common) seal
Histriophoca fasciata
- ribbon seal
Pagophilus groenlandicus
- harp seal
Cystophora cristata
-hooded seal
Family Odobenidae
members
Carnivora
1 species – Walrus - Odobenus rosmarus
- 2-3 subspecies
Odobenus r. rosmarus – N. Atlantic
Odobenus r. divergens – N. Pacific
(Odobenus r. laptevi – Laptev Sea)
Family Odobenidae
relations and tusk use and origin
Carnivora
Debate as to whether closely related to Otariids or Phocids
Use tusks (modified canine teeth) for:
Competition (walruses)
Defense (predators)
Hauling out (pick-axe)
Resting (anchor)