Marine MammalsMarine Mammals

Marine Mammal ClassificationMarine Mammal ClassificationAnimaliaAnimaliaChordataChordataMammaliaMammalia

PinnipediaPinnipedia Sirenia Sirenia Cetacea CetaceaSealsSeals Dugong Dugong Toothed WhaleToothed Whale

Sea Lions ManateeSea Lions Manatee Baleen Whales Baleen Whales

WalrusesWalruses

PinnipedsPinnipeds SealSeal Sea Lion Sea Lion

Walrus

SireniansSirenians

DugongDugong ManateeManatee

CetaceansCetaceans

Toothed WhalesToothed Whales Baleen Whales Baleen Whales

Sperm Whale Pilot whale pod

Orca Beluga

What are the things that make a What are the things that make a marine mammal a mammal?marine mammal a mammal?

VertebratesVertebrates Warm bloodedWarm blooded Breath air through lungsBreath air through lungs Live birthLive birth Mammary glandsMammary glands HairHair

• Also, usually large brains and different shapes and Also, usually large brains and different shapes and sizes of teethsizes of teeth

How is it that theseHow is it that thesemammals are able to survive in a mammals are able to survive in a

marine environment?marine environment?

ADAPTATIONSADAPTATIONS

for life in a wet, cold and for life in a wet, cold and salty place.salty place.

SwimmingSwimmingStreamlined body to reduce dragStreamlined body to reduce drag

Powerful, efficient appendages Powerful, efficient appendages

Efficient use of O2 in lungsEfficient use of O2 in lungs

O2 is stored in blood (myoglobin) and muscles O2 is stored in blood (myoglobin) and muscles

Voluntary and conscious breathingVoluntary and conscious breathing

Collapsible lungs, thick Collapsible lungs, thick cartilaginous trachea to cartilaginous trachea to tolerate pressure tolerate pressure changeschanges

High tolerance to lactic acid- High tolerance to lactic acid- muscles can work muscles can work anaerobicallyanaerobically

ThermoregulationThermoregulationLarge body, small surface-to volume ratio reduces heat lossLarge body, small surface-to volume ratio reduces heat loss

Blubber and/or underfur Blubber and/or underfur

Complex circulatory system conserves and dissipates heatComplex circulatory system conserves and dissipates heat

Water ConservationWater Conservation

Use freshwater from food, inhaled air and blubberUse freshwater from food, inhaled air and blubber

Remove salts from bodies using many small kidneysRemove salts from bodies using many small kidneys

Evolution of a SealEvolution of a Seal

Evolution of a WhaleEvolution of a WhalePHYSICAL PHYSICAL

ADAPTATIONS:ADAPTATIONS: Feet to Flippers-Feet to Flippers-

Front legs became paddle-like Front legs became paddle-like for steeringfor steering

Hind legs disappearedHind legs disappeared

Nostrils to Blow hole-Nostrils to Blow hole- Moved to the top of the head Moved to the top of the head

and became blowholesand became blowholes Quick breathing while swimmingQuick breathing while swimming

Tail to Fluke-Tail to Fluke- Animal tail widened into Animal tail widened into

horizontal flukes for swimminghorizontal flukes for swimming

Body Shape-Body Shape- Became sleek and torpedo-Became sleek and torpedo-

shaped “streamlined” for shaped “streamlined” for movement through watermovement through water

Types of PinnipedsTypes of Pinnipeds

PhocidaePhocidae OdobenidaeOdobenidaeOtariidaeOtariidae

True SealsTrue Seals Walrus Walrus Sea Sea LionsLions

Fur Fur SealsSeals

True Seals - PhocidaeTrue Seals - PhocidaeHarbor Seal – Phoca VitulinaHarbor Seal – Phoca VitulinaMost common to LI Most common to LI 1.2-1.8m. (5.5ft., 250 lbs., females smaller, 200lbs.) 1.2-1.8m. (5.5ft., 250 lbs., females smaller, 200lbs.) Variable gray color with dark spotsVariable gray color with dark spotsPiscivorous - Squid, mackerel, flounder, herring and crab, 12 – 15lbs./day Piscivorous - Squid, mackerel, flounder, herring and crab, 12 – 15lbs./day

Found in North Pacific and North Atlantic, Hudson BayFound in North Pacific and North Atlantic, Hudson BaySummer in the Gulf of Maine and north, they breed there and find food. Summer in the Gulf of Maine and north, they breed there and find food. Come to LI late November – April, sometimes longer Come to LI late November – April, sometimes longer

Pups born mid-May – July, 75 cm, 10kg, swim from birth weaned in 3 – 4 weeks, Pups born mid-May – July, 75 cm, 10kg, swim from birth weaned in 3 – 4 weeks,

mother’s milk 50% fatmother’s milk 50% fat

Harp Seals Harp Seals – –

Pagophilus Pagophilus groenlandica groenlandica - big - big spots and blotches, like spots and blotches, like dalmatians. Whiskers are dalmatians. Whiskers are cat-like, bushy and thinner. cat-like, bushy and thinner. Can grow to 6 ft., 400lbs.Can grow to 6 ft., 400lbs.

Other True SealsOther True SealsHooded Seals –

Cristophora cristata - blue backs, can grow up to 9 ft. and 900lbs., females 7 ft., 670lbs.

Gray Seals –

Halichoerus grypus - horse heads, long snout, molt in June. Can grow to 7.5-8 ft., 800lbs.

Types of CetaceansTypes of CetaceansMysticetes_______Mysticetes_______ OdontocetesOdontocetes

BaleenBaleen Toothed

2 blow holes2 blow holes 1 blow hole

Baleen Whales - Mysticetes Baleen Whales - Mysticetes

Larger whales Larger whales including:including:

BlueBlue

FinbackFinback

HumpbackHumpback

RightRight

GrayGray

Diet and FeedingDiet and Feeding

Mysticetes – Mysticetes – Filter feed by catching Filter feed by catching

zooplankton or small zooplankton or small schooling fish by schooling fish by skimming or gulping large skimming or gulping large

volumes of prey in water.volumes of prey in water. Tongue forces water to back Tongue forces water to back

of mouth past hundreds of mouth past hundreds of baleen plates acting as of baleen plates acting as sieves to trap the prey, sieves to trap the prey, then swallow. then swallow.

Humpback Whale – Megaptera Humpback Whale – Megaptera novaeangliaenovaeangliae

• 40-50 ft long, 40 tons• Males have complex whale song• Feed during summer in Arctic• Breaching, Tail flopping• Breed and give birth during winter• Population dropped by 90% during whaling industry•May live 50 years

Fin Whale – Balaenoptera Fin Whale – Balaenoptera physalusphysalus

•70 ft long, 70 tons•Can swim up to 35 mph•Dives for as long as 50 minutes•Winters in the Arctic, food

rich •Summers near Equator, live off fat•May live 90 years

Blue Whale – Balaenoptera Blue Whale – Balaenoptera musculusmusculus

•75-90ft, 125tons – Earth’s largest animal ever

•May consume 4 tons of zooplankton each day in summer•Summer most frequently off

eastern Canada •Winter to Florida and Gulf of

Mexico•May live 80 years

Toothed Whales - OdontocetesToothed Whales - Odontocetes

Sperm Whale Pilot whale pod

Orca BelugaSmaller Smaller whales whales including:including:

Beluga Beluga Orca Orca Sperm Sperm PilotPilot

Odontocetes

Diet and FeedingDiet and Feeding

OdontocetesOdontocetes have variable have variable number of number of identical conical identical conical teeth or spade teeth or spade shaped teeth used shaped teeth used to strain or grasp to strain or grasp prey, primarily fish prey, primarily fish and squidand squid

Sperm Whale – Physeter Sperm Whale – Physeter macroencephalusmacroencephalus

•60 ft, 70 tons•Square head 1/3 length of body•Narrow, underslung

jaw•36-50 conical teeth in

lower jaw only•Deepest, longest dives

– up to 2 hours, 9,800 ft

•Present year round in Gulf of Mexico and NC to

Georges Bank

Killer Whale – Orcinus orcaKiller Whale – Orcinus orca

•30 ft, 8 tons•Round head, slight beak•20-26 teeth in both upper and lower rows•Highly social•Diverse diet to include

fish, squid, reptiles, marine mammals•More common n. of NJ

Bottlenose Dolphin – Tursiops Bottlenose Dolphin – Tursiops truncatustruncatus

•6-12 ft, 140-650 kg•Well-defined beak•2 “ecotypes” – coastal, short and slim

offshore, larger•40-52 conical teeth, upper, 36-48 lower•Groups of 10s to 100s•Gulf of Mexico to Cape Hatteras

The Future?