PHYLUM CORDATA: THE VERTEBRATES MARINE MAMMALS WARM BLOODED ANIMALS HAVE HAIR (FUR, WHISKERS, EYELASHES) LIVE BIRTH TO YOUNG MAMMARY GLANDS TO FEED YOUNG MILK ALL ARE PROTECTED BY THE MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT OF 1972 IN U.S. WATERS
SEA OTTERS LIVE ENTIRE LIFE IN THE WATER COME TO SHORE ONLY TO GIVE BIRTH EAT SEA URCHINS, FISH, ABALONE, CRABS EXTREMELY DENSE FUR FOR WARMTH HUNTED ALMOST TO EXTINCTION FOR THEIR FUR WEBBED FEET TO HELP IN SWIMMING
SEA OTTER WRAPPED IN KELP
MAMA WITH PUP
MANATEES LARGE, SLOW MOVING GENTLE ANIMALS FRONT LIMBS ARE FLIPPERS, NO REAR LIMBS VEGETARIANS – EAT GRASSES & SEAWEEDS 10 FEET UP TO 1000 POUNDS 3 SPECIES - ALL ARE ENDANGERED DUE TO OVER HUNTING, POLLUTION & MOTOR BOATS
PHYLUM CORDATA
Manatee video 3:00
MANATEE
MANATEE WITH YOUNG
MANATEES
PINNIPEDS – SEALS, SEA LIONS, WALRUSES COME TO SHORE TO BREED & RAISE YOUNG THICK LAYER OF BLUBBER FOR WARMTH FEED ON FISH, SQUID, CLAMS 4 LIMBS ARE FLIPPERS FOR SWIMMING EXCELLENT DIVERS & SWIMMERS HUNTED FOR SKIN, MEAT AND OIL
SEALS PREFER COLDER WATERS VERY DENSE FUR & THICK SKIN ROUNDED HEAD & SHORT SNOUT PULL THEMSELVES ALONG ON LAND (HIND LIMBS USELESS ON LAND) NO EXTERNAL EAR FLAP (JUST A HOLE IN THE HEAD)
ELEPHANT SEALS
ELEPHANT SEALS video 5:00
SEAL WITH PUP
SEALS
SEALS
SEALS
SEA LIONS PREFER WARMER WATERS HAVE EXTERNAL EAR FLAP CALLED “EARED SEALS” HEAD DOG LIKE – LONGER SNOUT FRONT FLIPPERS CAN SUPPORT UPPER BODY REAR FLIPPERS PIVOT FORWARD ALLOWING SEA LIONS TO WALK ON LAND
SEA LION AND PUP
SEA LIONS ON PIER A FAVORITE HAUL OUT SPOT
SEA LION
SEA LION
WALRUSES ONLY NORTH POLAR SEAS LARGE TUSKS - CANINE TEETH TUSKS USED TO GRIP ICE AND FIND FOOD EAT CLAMS & MUSSELS & FISH THICK, ALMOST HAIRLESS SKIN
WALRUS
WALRUS HAUL OUT FOR BREEDING
YOUNG WALRUS WITHOUT TUSKS
PHYLUM CORDATA
MALES & FEMALES HAVE TUSKS
CETACEANS – WHALES & DOLPHINS 90 SPECIES – MANY ARE ENDANGERED DUE TO OVER HUNTING FOR OIL, BLUBBER & MEAT FRONT LIMBS ARE FLIPPERS FOR SWIMMING HIND LIMBS DO NOT DEVELOP BUT VESTIGIAL BONES REMAIN IN PELVIC AREA
CETACEANS – WHALES & DOLPHINS TAIL (FLUKE) IS A LARGE FLATTED APPENDAGE USE ECHOLOCATION “SONAR” TO NAVIGATE, FIND FOOD & COMMUNICATE 2 GROUPS - TOOTHED WHALES & BALEEN WHALES SPEND ENTIRE LIVES IN WATER FROM BIRTH TO DEATH (DO NOT COME TO SHORE)
TOOTHED WHALES HAVE PERMANENT TEETH (UPPER AND/OR LOWER JAWS) FEED ON FISH, SQUID, SEALS, SHARKS GENERALLY SMALLER WHALES ONE BLOW HOLE ON TOP OF HEAD ex: DOLPHINS, PORPOISES, ORCAS, SPERM WHALE
ORCA WHALE
SPERM WHALE
SPINNER DOLPHIN
BEAKED WHALE
BELUGA WHALE
BALEEN WHALES FLEXIBLE, FIBROUS PLATES CALLED BALEEN HANG DOWN FROM THE UPPER JAW BALEEN IS MADE OF A TOUGH MATERIAL SIMILAR TO YOUR HAIR & FINGERNAILS FILTER FEED ON KRILL, PLANKTON & FISH GENERALLY LARGER WHALES BLUE WHALE – LARGEST OF ALL ANIMALS ON EARTH
BLUE WHALE
BLUE WHALE video – 2:00
HUMPBACK WHALE
RIGHT WHALE
GRAY WHALE
FIN WHALE
MINKE WHALE
POLAR BEARS OMNIVORES – FAVORITE FOODS ARE SEALS FOUND IN THE ARCTIC (NORTHERN HEMISPHERE) EXCELLENT SWIMMERS (WEBBING BETWEEN TOES) UP TO 7 FEET LONG & 1100 POUNDS THICK FUR ADDS INSULATION – HOLLOW HAIRS TRAP HEAT & ADD BUOYANCY
POLAR BEARS
POLAR BEARS
POLAR BEARS
POLAR BEARS
POLAR BEARS
MARINE MAMMAL ADAPTATIONS TO DIVING EXCHANGE 90% OF OXYGEN IN LUNGS ON EACH BREATH (HUMANS EXCHANGE ~10%) HIGHER CONCENTRATION OF RBC’s WITH MORE HEMOGLOBIN FOR CARRYING OXYGEN HIGHER LEVELS OF MYOGLOBIN IN MUSCLES WHICH STORES OXYGEN BLOOD VESSELS CONSTRICT SLOWING BLOOD FLOW
MARINE MAMMAL ADAPTATIONS TO DIVING HEART RATE SLOWS DURING A DIVE TO CONSERVE OXYGEN AND ENERGY BLOOD FLOW TO NON-ESSENTIAL ORGANS IS REDUCED DURING A DIVE FLEXIBLE RIB CAGE CAUSES LUNGS TO COLLAPSE WHICH FORCES OXYGEN INTO THE BLOOD STREAM