Lecture 1 Flashcards by Judith Huynh

What is a marine mammal in the broadest sense?

How many living species are there approximately? (Breakdown of it)

Any aquatic mammal that spends part or all of its life in water (fresh & marine)
126 living species currently
(36 Pinniped; 84 cetacean; 4 sirenian; 1 sea/marine otter; 1 Polar Bear)

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Seals, sea lions and walrus make up which suborder?

Which consists of how many species?

Pinnipedia

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Whales, dolphins, porpoise are part of which order?

Made up of how many species?

Cetaceans

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Manatee and Dugong are of which order? And how many species are there?

Sirenian

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Name the 2 other orders that make up marine mammal grouping?

Sea/Marine Otter

Polar Bear

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The national oceanic and atmospheric Administration (NOAA) lists ? Marine mammal species as:
Endangered = ?
Threatened = ?

27
Endangered = 20
Threatened = 7

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What is the definition of a species? (Based on morphology or DNA)
What is morphology?
What is DNA?

Morphology: is the study of form and structure of an organism without consideration of function
DNA: nucleus acid that carries fundamental and distinctive characteristics of an organisms (often times regarded as unchangeable)

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Recent research shows…
Based on morphology = ??? Dolphin species
Based on DNA = ?? Dolphin species

Morphology = 10 species of dolphin
DNA = 12 dolphin species

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Comparison of mitochondrial DNA from polar, brown and black cedars revealed what 2 interesting facts?

1) that polar bears are an older distinct species than previously thought by as much as several hundred thousand years
2) that this extra evolutionary time has given polar bears more time to adapt to the arctic environment

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True or earless seas belong to which suborder?
What is their proper name
Give 2 examples?

Pinnipedia
Phocidae
ex: harbour seals and grey seals

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“Eared seals” belong to which suborder?
What is their proper name?
Give 2 examples

Pinnipedia
Otariidae
Fur seals and sea lions

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What is the last family proper of pinnipedia?

What are they commonly called?

Odobenidae

Walrus

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What have 2 suborders; what are they?

Cetaceas

- mysticeti and odontoceti

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Toothed whales, belong to which suborder and give an example.
Give three specific characteristics of this suborder

Odontoceti
- have teeth, 1 blow hole; uses echolocation to feed.
Example: beluga whale

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Baleen whales belong to which suborder?
Give an example
What are three specific characteristics of this suborder?

Mysticeti
Ex: humpback whale
No teeth, no echolocation, 2 blow holes

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What is another order that has 2 families? What are they?

Sirenia

Trichedchidae and Dugongidae

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What does the Manatee belong to?
How many species are there in the family?
What is their common name

Trichechidae
3 species
Common name is manatee

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Dugongs belong to which famiy?
How many species are in this family?
What is their common name?

Dugongidae
1
Dugongs

Sea otters belong to which order?

Which family?

Carnivora

Family: mustilidae

Polar bears belong to which order?

Which family do they belong to?

Carnivora

Family: Ursidae

The class mammalian includes all species that are considered 
????
(List at least 4-5 characteristics of this class?)

body covered with hair which molts
Skin containing various glands
Mouth with teeth
4 limbs (may be visually absent in some)
Feet with toes (adapted for climbing/swimming
A 4 chambered heart… etc

What is NOT a marine mammal?

Understand why?

Different characteristics
arise mammals have evolved to have adaptations such as blubber, cardiovascular modifications, thermoregulation and echolocation, etc……………

Do beavers belong to the class mammalian?
Are they a marine mammal? Why?
What is their order and family?
Give 3 characteristics of this species?
What other species are included in this order?

Beavers do belong to class mammalian
Order = Rodentia or gnawing mammals; family = castoridae
They are NOT marine mammals because …
- have a broad tail, soft fur, feeds on trees, have 4 limbs with 5 toes, no canines
- Their incisors that a prominent and CONTINUALLY growing. No species that lives in marine (salt) water and most eat vegetable matter only (seeds, leaves, roots, bark, etc..)

When comparing humans/terrestrial mammals vs. Marine mammals.
- list 4 key general physiological adaptions of marine mammals
Explain how these are useful to them.

1) lungs which can impress and spring open
2) more Hb (o2 carrying moelcule)
3) storage areas of blood
4) excessive amounts of myoglobin (02 storage molecules)

Historical perspective of marine Mammals | Centuries ago... (how did they view it)

Strange and different Difficult to find or see Superstition played a role Different cultures saw them differently

Why study Marine mammals? | In recent past....

Curiosities, | looked at in zoos and aquariums

Why study marine mammals? | in modern times... (list of reasons why)

- special appeal - emotional response - high interest in their welfare - cute adorable animals - human like traits - legislate environmental protection for ongoing/changing problems (Ie: Fukushima power plant, tsunami = unknown threats to humans and marine mammals)

Why study marine mammals? Therefore they live in a unique enviro... (List 3 basic diff environmental stressors that they must adjust to.)

- exposed to various pressures Various temperatures Variations in light conditions

What 5 behaviours/activities have marine mammals adapted to their environment?

- live - eat - reproduce - hunt - breath

Give examples of species of marine mammal that... 1) live in highly organized distinct societies 2) live in family groups 3) live as solitary animals

1) Killer whales 2) dolphins 3) polar bears, sea otters, baleen whales

In what 7 areas there been a recent upsurge of interest in marine mammal science

1. Their environment/habitat 2. Interaction with fisheries 3. Population and behavioural studies 4. Reproduction 5. Pollution 6. Climate change 7. Underwater noise

There are numerous environmental dangers facing these species... Name 5 key ones..

1) pollutants 2) noise pollutions 3) habitat destruction 4) climate change 5) Human interaction

If we look at human interaction... A) What effect did boat tours have on dusky dolphins feeding and hunting? B) What has been shown regarding the reproduction output (number of dolphin calves) despite a decrease of dolphin bycatch in the tuna fisheries?

A) The presence of boats negatively affected the feeding on dusky dolphins and how well they hunted. B) There is a continually declining of reproduction output of dolphin calves despite the decrease in dolphin bycatch in the tuna fisheries

Recent upsurge in marina mammal science: Environmental dangers have what impact of rehabilitation facilities?

Environmental dangers increase care in rehab facilities

What use is data collected from captive animals regarding populations

Data collected from wild populations apply to captive animals and vice versa

Describe the basic nature of studies using captive animals? | how does this compare to what can or is done in wild?

In captivity: study movement, breathing patterns, social activity In the wild: more complication, causes stress, requires more equipment and people

1) What marine mammal characteristics needs to be considered when deciding conservation measures? 2) What 3 other issues must also factor into this? 3) At what levels of government must these measures/requirements be considered?

1) physiology & anatomy, specialized adaptions, environment 2) Traditional and cultural resources, Conservation policies, and Economic value 3) national levels, regional levels, local levels

What connection, if any, do environmental dangers to marine mammals have to humans?

Mercury levels in various species of whale meet sold in Japanese markets

Name the pollutant types

1) heavy metals (mercury, lead, cadmium, etc) 2) organochlorines (DDTs) 3) Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) 4) Plerflurooctane sulfonates (PFOs - Teflon) 5) Oil (various products) 6) Radioactive materials (various products)

Explain the relevance of bioaccumulation as it pertains to mammals? - in humans which 3 categories are at greatest risk?

Some of the pollutants (mercury) bioaccumulate up the food chain and they can become of concern for humans primarily prego females, females breast feeding babies, and young children.

The impact of pollution on any one individual also depends on which other two facts?

1) the organ(s)/system affected | 2) the species

Match the following organ with the pollutant most likely to cause greatest damage: Brain; Reproductive organs; Kidney; Skin

1) mercury 2) PCB 3) lead 4) oil

Match the species with the most often found pollutant problem: 1) seals 2) polar bears 3) dolphins 4) sea otters

1) impaired reproduction 2) impaired development in young 3) indirect mortality from ingestion 4) direct mortality from thermoregulation

In review, earning more about marine mammals.... (list three pts)

1) understand how they live in a marine environment 2) Help see how they adapted to their environment over thousands/millions of years 3) Will help create protective conservation measures as dramatic events such as global warming may cause them to become threatened/endangered or become extinct over the next decades