exam 1 Flashcards
marine mammal characteristics
1) lives in and/or is dependent on the marine environment
2) has anatomical and physiological adaptations for living in the Marine environment
all mammal characteristics
1) hair
2) mammary glands
3) there middle ear bones
4) neocortex region in brain
whale differentiating characteristics
- generally larger
- double blowhole with ridge
- small dorsal fin or ridge
- large pecs with more range of movement
dolphin differentiating characteristics
- larger than porpoises
- longer rostrum/beak
- cone shaped teeth
- longer dorsal and flippers
- more vocal
- more high energy
porpoise differentiating characteristics
- small and Chunky
- spade shaped teeth
- short and pointed dorsal/flippers
- less vocal
- no/super short rostrum
sea lion differentiating characteristics
- hind flippers can rotate inward for better movement on land
- ears w/ flaps
- short, hidden claws
seal differentiating characteristics
- ear holes
- longer, exposed claws
- inchworm on land to move
dugong differentiating characteristics
- has tail flukes
- males have small tusks
manatee differentiating characteristics
- has paddle
- mandible
- maneuverable flippers
4 mysticeti families
1) balenopteridae (rorquals)
2) balaenidae (right whales)
3) neobalaenidae
4) eschrichtiidae
balenopteridae (rorquals) family characteristics
- lunge feeders
- heavy pleats/grooves from chin to chest
- large tongue
- sleek body shape
- faster swim speeds
ex: humpback whales
balaenidae (right whales) family characteristics
- large mouth with curved jaw
- no dorsal fin
- rotund body
- slow swim speeds
- skim feeders
neobalenidae family characteristics
- lean shape
- curved jaw
- smaller w/ curved dorsal
eschrichtiidae family characteristics
- short, coarse baleen hairs
- use tongue as suction
- bottom feeders
7 odontoceti families
1) delphinidae
2) porpoises
3) belugas/narwhals
4) beaked whales
5) river dolphins (superfamily)
6) pigmy/dwarf sperm whales
7) sperm whales
3 methods to assess evolutionary history
1) morphological evidence
2) molecular evidence
3) developmental evidence
2 morphological adaptations for more efficient movement in water
1) drag reduction
2) effective propulsion
visual capacity in and out of water
fully aquatic species: better in than out of water
pinnipeds: not quite the same
sea otters/polar bears: better on land
tidal volume
high proportion (~80%) of gas exchanged when breathing