1. Classification and Characteristics Order Carnivora
Marine Mammals
Classification and Characteristics
Order Carnivora
Order Carnivora

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

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

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

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

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

12. 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

13. 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