Classification and Characteristics Order Carnivora Marine Mammals Classification and Characteristics Order Carnivora Order Carnivora

What is a Mammal? The advantage of being endothermic with an active metabolism Possess hair and a layer of fat Viviparous Mammary glands Brain is large in relation to body size and extremely complex Order Carnivora

Marine Mammal Classification Order Carnivora - Polar bears, sea otters, seals, sea lions, and walruses Order Sirenia - Manatees and dugongs Order Cetacea - Whales, dolphins, and porpoises Order Carnivora

Order Carnivora Suborder Pinnipedia Family Ursidae - Polar bear Family Otarridae - Sea lions or eared seals Family Phocidae - Seals Family Odobenidae - Walrus Family Ursidae - Polar bear Family Mustelidae - Sea otter Order Carnivora

Pinnipeds All are tied to the land or ice to breed Well-adapted to the marine environment Feed on fish and squid Most members are large in size Residents of cold water with fur, blubber or both Order Carnivora

Why are marine mammals so large? Helps conserve body heat since large animals have less surface area (per body mass) than smaller animals Order Carnivora

Family Otarridae Sea lions and fur seals (Eared seals) Have the ability to rotate the pelvis and bring the hind flippers under the body Order Carnivora

Otarridae Characteristics Use large fore flippers for propulsion Sexually dimorphic and polygynous Common species California sea lion Northern fur seal Order Carnivora

Family Phocidae (Seals) Largest group of pinnipeds, 19 spp. Do not rotate pelvis and lack external ears Poor terrestrial habits Order Carnivora

Phocid Representatives Elephant seals Harbor seals Crabeater seal Monk seals (Monachus) Order Carnivora

Family Odobenidae (Walrus) One species, Odobenus rosmarus Rotate the pelvis under the body Feed on benthic invertebrates, especially clams Order Carnivora

Family Ursidae Polar bear (Ursus maritimus), only bear of the high arctic Semi-aquatic, spend most of their lives on drift ice Largest carnivore in the northern hemisphere (2.5 m.) Live in the arctic and hunt seals as they reach the surface to breathe Order Carnivora

Family Mustelidae Smallest of the marine mammals (male 60 -80 lb.) Lacks a dense layer of blubber; dense fur insulates the animal Pacific coast sea otter (Enhydra lutris) Order Carnivora