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MAR 370 > Marine Mammal Taxonomic Groups > Flashcards

Marine Mammal Taxonomic Groups Flashcards

1
Q

What are some characteristics of marine mammals?

A
  • Breath air through lungs
  • Warm-blooded
  • Bare live young
  • Suckle their young
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2
Q

What are the four taxonomic groups of marine mammals?

A
  1. Pinnipeds
  2. Sirenians
  3. Otters
  4. Cetaceans
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3
Q

What are some key differences between mammals living in water and air

A
  • Inability to exchange gases at all times
  • Increased rate of heat loss
  • Relative weightlessness (results in larger body size)
  • Greater resistance to movement
  • Changed characteristics of sound propagation (sound travels faster and farther in water)
  • Low-light conditions
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4
Q

What are the 3 different orders of marine mammals?

A
  1. Carnivora
  2. Sirenia
  3. Cetacea
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5
Q

What is the most diverse order of marine mammals?

A

Cetacea
(90 species)

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6
Q

What are some characteristics of the order Cetacea?

A
  • Streamlined body shape
  • Blubber
  • No pinnae
  • No hind limbs only front limbs (flippers)
  • Intra-abdominal testes (within body cavity)
  • Mostly hairless
  • Horizontal flukes (tail flippers)
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7
Q

What are the two sub-orders of Cetaceans?

A
  1. Odontoceti
    (Dolphins and Porpoises)
  2. Mysticeti
    (Baleen whales)
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8
Q

What are some characteristics of the sub-order Odontocetei?

A
  • Teeth
  • Single blowhole
  • Asymmetrical cranium
  • Melon
  • Large size range between species (ex: small porpoises vs sperm whale)
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9
Q

What are some characteristics of the sub-order Mysticeti?

A
  • Baleen plates
  • Paired blowholes
  • Symmetrical cranium
  • Must be large in order to filter feed
    Not a large range of body size like Odontesites
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10
Q

What is a key difference between dolphins and porpoises?

A

The melon
- Porpoises: melon extends to apex of snout
- Dolphins: melon ends before snout

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11
Q

Does body size reflect prey size in Mysticetes?

A

No, baleen does
- Short baleen = large prey (fish)
- Longer baleen = small prey (plankton)

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12
Q

What is the purpose of rorquals?

A

Allows whales to extend buccal region (take in large quantities of water)

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13
Q

What are some morphological adaptations of Mysticetes?

A
  • Baleen
  • Enlarged buccal cavity (throat region)
  • Mandibles joined by flexible ligament
  • Throat grooves (rorquals)
  • Cavum ventrale (muscles)
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14
Q

What are the three filter feeding strategies of Mysticetes?

A
  1. Skimmers
    - 1 step
  2. Gulpers
    - 2 steps
  3. Sifters
    - 2 steps
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15
Q

Describe the foraging behavior of skimmers?

A

Ram filtration
- Baleen bristles filter out plankton as water flows through
- Whale uses tongue to push out water through baleen
- Ex: Right whale
Swim with their mouths open

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16
Q

Describe the foraging behavior of gulpers?

A

Step 1: Take in gulp of water (engulfs dense patch of prey)
Step 2: Force water out through baleen
- Ex: Rorquals

17
Q

Describe the foraging behavior of sifters?

A
  • Bottom feeders
    Step 1: Take in sediments from bottom of water column
    Step 2: Force sediments out, keep nutrients
  • Ex: Gray whales
18
Q

What are the two sub-orders of the order Carnivora?

A
  1. Pinnipedia
  2. Fissipedia
19
Q

What are the three families within the sub-order Pinnipedia?

A
  1. Otariidae
  2. Phocidae
  3. Odobenidae
20
Q

What is the family within the sub-order Fissipedia?

A

Mustelidae

21
Q

Describe the morphology of Pinnipeds

A
  • Streamlined body shape
  • Hind flippers
  • Homodont cheek teeth (teeth are all about the same shape)
22
Q

Describe the morphology of Phocidae

A
  • Pinnae: Lacking
  • Testes: Internal
  • Upper canines: Normal
  • Hind flipper mobility: No
  • Ex: True seals
23
Q

Describe the morphology of Otariidae

A
  • Pinnae: Present
  • Testes: Scrotal
  • Upper canines: Normal
  • Hind flipper mobility: Yes
  • Ex: Eared seals
24
Q

Describe the morphology of Odobenidae

A
  • Pinnae: Lacking
  • Testes: Internal
  • Upper canines: Tusks
  • Hind flipper mobility: Yes
  • Ex: Walrus
25
Q

Why is the breeding behavior of pinnipeds unique among marine mammals?

A

They are tied to land for breeding

26
Q

Describe the morphology of marine otters

A
  • Streamlined body shape
  • Short legs / webbed feet
  • Dense fur coats
  • Heterodont dentition (teeth have different forms and functions)
27
Q

Describe the morphology of sirenians

A
  • Streamlined body shape
  • Blubber
  • Intra-abdominal testes
  • Dorso-ventrally flattened tail fluke
  • Axiliary mammary glands
  • Sparse hair
  • Pachyostotic bones (bones = dense +compact)
  • Ex: Mantees, Dungongs, Stellar’s sea cow

MAR 370 (14 decks)

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