Aquatic mammals - Characteristics and examples

All living beings on the planet have their origin in the aquatic environment .Throughout evolutionary history, mammals have been changing and adapting to conditions on the surface of the earth until, several million years ago, some submerged themselves in the oceans and rivers, adapting to life under these conditions.

In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will talk about aquatic mammals, better known as marine mammals, since it is in the seas where a greater number of species of this type They inhabit.Discover the characteristics of these animals and some examples.

Characteristics of aquatic mammals

The life of mammals in water is very different from that of terrestrial mammals.In order to survive in this environment, they have had to acquire special characteristics during their evolution.

Water is a much denser environment than air and, in addition, offers greater resistance, so aquatic mammals have an extremely aerodynamic body that allows them to cope easily.Develop fins similar to those of fish has been a significant morphological change.It allows them to increase speed, direct swimming and communicate.

Water is a medium that absorbs much more heat than air, for This, the aquatic mammals have a thick layer of fat under a hard and robust skin , which keep them isolated from these heat losses.when they live in very cold areas of the planet.Some marine mammals have hair, because certain vital functions are carried out outside the water, such as reproduction.

Those marine mammals that, in certain periods of their lives, inhabit the great depths, have developed other organs to be able to live in the darkness, like the sonar .The sense of sight in these ecosystems is not subtle, because sunlight does not reach that depth.

Like all mammals, these aquatic animals have mammary glands that produce milk for their offspring, sweat glands and gestate on their progeny inside their body.

Breathing of aquatic mammals

Aquatic mammals need air to breathe .Therefore, they take large amounts of air and keep it inside their lungs for long periods of time, when they submerge after taking air, are able to redirect blood to the brain, heart and skeletal muscle.Their muscles have a large concentration of a protein called myoglobin , capable of accumulating large amounts of oxygen.

In this way, aquatic animals are able to remain considerable periods of time without taking air.The young and newborn babies do not have this capacity developed, so they will need to take air more times than the rest of the group.

Types of aquatic mammals

Most species of aquatic mammals live in the marine environment.There are three orders of aquatic mammals: cetacea, carnivora and sirenia.

Order cetacea

Inside of the cetacea order, the most representative species are whales, dolphins, sperm whales, killer whales and porpoises .The cetaceans evolved from a species of terrestrial carnivorous ungulate more than 50 million years ago.The cetacea order Divide into three suborders (one of them extinct):

Archaeoceti : predecessor terrestrial quadruped animals of the current (extinct) cetaceans.
Mysticeti : they are whales with beards.They are carnivorous animals without teeth that take large puffs of water, then filter it through their beards and with the tongue collect the trapped fish.
Odontoceti : Dolphins, killer whales, porpoises and zifios are included here.It is a very diverse group, although its main characteristic l is that they have teeth.In this group we can find the pink dolphin ( Inia geoffrensis ), a kind of mammal aquatic river.

Carnival order

In the carnival order, we include seals, sea lions and walruses , although they could also include to the sea otter and polar bears.This group of animals appeared about 15 million years ago and are believed to be closely related to mustelids and asses (bears).

Order sirenia

Elultimo order, sirenia, includes dugongs and manatees .These animals have evolved from the tetiteriums, animals very similar to the elephants that appeared about 66 million years ago.The dugongs inhabit Australia and, manatees, in Africa and America.

List of examples of aquatic mammals and their names

Cetacea order

Mysticeti:

Greenland Whale ( Balaena mysticetus )
Whale Southern right ( Eubalaena australis )
Glacial free whale ( Eubalaena glacialis )
Pacific free whale ( Eubalaena japonica )
Common Rorcual ( Balaenoptera physalus )
Rorcual sei or borealis (Balaenoptera borealis)
Rorcual de Bryde (Balaenoptera brydei)
Tropical whale (Balaenoptera edeni)
Great blue whale or blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)
Aliblanco, dwarf or common minke ( Balaenoptera acutorostrata)
Rorcual austral or Antarctic minke (Balaenoptera bonaerensis)
Rorcual of Omura (Balaenoptera omurai)
Yubarta or humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae )
Gray whale ( Eschrichtius robustus )
Pygmy whale ( Caperea marginata )

Odontoceti:

Tonina overa ( Cephalorhynchus commersonii )
Heaviside dolphin ( Cephalorhynchus heavisidii )
Coastal common dolphin ( Delphinus capensis )
Pygmy killer whale ( Feresa attenuata )
Calderon common ( Globicephala melas )
Risso's dolphin ( Grampus griseus )
Fraser dolphin ( Lagenodelphis hosei )
Atlantic dolphin ( Lagenorhynchus acutus )
Northern dolphin without fin ( Lissodelphis borealis )
Common killer whale ( Orcinus orca )
Hong Kong pink dolphin ( Sousa chinensis )
Delfin listed ( Stenella coeruleoalba )
Bottlenose or bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus )
Boto, Amazon dolphin, pink dolphin ( Inia geoffrensis )
Baiji, Chinese river dolphin ( Lipotes vexillifer )
Silver Dolphin ( Pontoporia blainvillei )
Beluga ( Delphinapterus leucas )
Narval ( Monodon monoceros )

Carnival order

Seal Mediterranean monk ( Monachus monachus )
Northern sea elephant ( Mirounga angustirostris )
Leopard seal ( Hydrurga leptonyx )
Common or harbor seal ( Phoca vitulina )
Australian and South African sea lion ( Arctocephalus pusillus )
Guadeloupe sea bear ( Arctophoca philippii townsendi )
Steller's sea lion ( Eumetopias jubatus )
California sea lion ( Zalophus californianus )
Sea otter ( Enhydra lutris )
Polar bear ( Ursus maritimus )

Sirenia order

Dugongo ( Dugong dugon )
Caribbean Manati ( Trichechus manatus )
Amazonian Manati ( Trichechus inunguis )
African Manati ( Trichechus senegalensis )

If you want to read more articles similar to Aquatic mammals-Features and examples , we recommend that you enter our Curiosity section It's from the animal world.

References

https://basicbiology.net/animal/mammals/marine

Bibliography

Irving, L.1973.Comparative Physiology of Thermoregulation.ACADEMIC PRESS, INC.2: 47-96.

Kramer, DL1988.The behavioral ecology of air breathing by aquatic animals.Canadian Journal of Zoology, 66 (1 ): 89-94.

Comments

Angora rabbit care

If you are thinking of adopting an Angora rabbit , in This article from Animals and Pets Online we will explain the basic care of these cute bunnies. The Angora rabbit is a variety of the domestic rabbit, so its care is very similar.It is believed that its origins are in Turkey, where they were exploited for their fur. The fur differentiates them and that's why their care is very important.If you don't have time to brush and take care of your Angora rabbit we recommend Be responsible and consider it before taking it home. Basic care of Angora rabbit There are four varieties of Angora rabbit: English Angora rabbit French Angora rabbit Angora rabbit giant Angora saten rabbit Between the different varieties there are differences in size and color of the fur, but in terms of care they do not vary in excess. Everyone needs good food, regular exercise and good care of the fur .With these spots covered our little rabbit will grow strong and healthy. They are...

Types of monkeys and their names

Monkeys are primates classified according to scientific jargon in the Platirrinos or monkeys of the new world and the Cercopitecoideos or monkeys of the old world.The hominoids, which would be primates that have no tail, where man enters. Animals such as orangutan, chimpance, gorilla or gibbons also do not enter the scientific classification of monkeys, since the latter, in addition to having a tail, have a more primitive skeleton and are small animals. Then you can see the scientific classification of monkeys in more detail, where you can distinguish two different parvordenes and a total of six families of monkeys, all this in this article of Animals and Pets Online.The different types of monkeys and their names you can see them below: Classification of the Simiiform infraorder To correctly understand everything about the types of monkeys we must detail that there are a total of 6 families of monkeys grouped in 2 different parvordenes. Parvorden Platyrrhini: This in...

Company Animal Names

Names for male and female doberman dogs The Doberman Pinscher is a dog of large size, stylized, elegant, muscular and proportionate.It stands out for its peaceful and friendly character, despite what many people may think due to the unfair fame that this canine breed has acquired throughout Unfortunately, many are the... Names for male white dogs and females Have you ever thought about adopting a white dog? Surely it is! However, you should keep in mind that owning one of these dogs requires a lot of attention to keep the fur clean, although we must say that it will be worth it when you admire the elegant white mantle. If you're thinking... Names for cats in English and their meaning-Males and females Searching for names for cats is a very fun experience and that generates great expectations among all the members of the family unit.If you are also at this time, you are likely to look for names for cats in English and their meaning, a language every time more globalized In this...

Native animals of Chile - Discover the 10 most representative!

Chile is a country of America of the South with varied ecosystems: the Pacific Ocean coast, the rugged and snow-capped mountain range of the Andes, the Atacama desert, the ice of the Antarctic region are some of them.With such different geographical accidents, it is not uncommon for the fauna and flora are also diverse. If you are interested in knowing which species are hidden in these lands, then you cannot miss this article of Animals and Pets Online on native animals of Chile .Keep reading! Animals of the southern zone of Chile: monkey The Dromiciops gliroides , also called mountain monkey or colocolo is a marsupial that inhabits the coastal areas of the Maule region, has a brown coat Of course, bulging eyes and long ears and teeth.It feeds mainly on fruits, seeds and insects.It is a very clever animal with its legs , which allows it to obtain food in an easier way and tree climbing to escape predators.The mountain monkey lives alone, meets in flocks of a maximum of th...

Differences between donkey and donkey

Taxonomy or classification of animals can, in many cases, give rise to numerous doubts, since sometimes we are not able to identify if two different nomenclatures refer to the same animal or if instead it is a species and subspecies, for example. Some Animals are known by similar names but are part of different species, others can instead be called by several clearly different names and still be the same species, therefore, there are multiple cases that can confuse us and need to be clarified./p> Surely on some occasion you have wondered what are the differences between donkey and donkey , and in this article of Animals and Pets Online we answer your questions. What differentiates an ass from a donkey? When we talk about donkeys we can all evoke the image of an animal with characteristic long ears and tail endowed with great fur, which has traditionally been expanded as a pack animal.Well, when we talk about donkeys, although we may not know this fact, we are talking about...

Pneumonia in dogs - Contagion, care and treatment

Surely you've ever heard of pneumonia, a disease that our dogs may also suffer.In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will review their symptomatology so that you can recognize it and thus transfer your dog to the veterinarian, who, as always, will be responsible for confirming the diagnosis and establishing guidelines for proper care and treatment . Keep reading this article from Animals and Pets Online to learn more about pneumonia in dogs, infection, symptoms and treatment You can't miss it! What is pneumonia? Basically, pneumonia is a inflammation of the lungs , caused by a variety of causes ranging from infectious agents, such as bacteria, to parasites, foreign bodies or allergens.classified according to the area of the lung that affect, according to the predominant cell class, the cause and the type of reaction they cause in the lung.It is the veterinarian in charge of refining the diagnosis to be able to apply the most appropriate treatment. The ...

Diclofenac for dogs - Dosage and uses

The diclofenac sodium is the active substance of a a well-known drug and used under the trade name of Voltaren or Voltadol.It is a product that is used to fight pain .Has your veterinarian prescribed it for your dog? Do you have questions about its uses or doses? In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will talk about diclofenac for dogs , how this drug is used in veterinary medicine and what aspects are important to consider for its use As we always insist, this and any other medication can only be administered to a dog by veterinary prescription . Is diclofenac bad for dogs? Diclofenac is an active substance included in the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories , that is, those commonly known as NSAIDs.They are products that are prescribed for pain relief, especially related to bone joint problems .Diclofenac can be used for dogs as long as it is prescribed by the veterinarian. Veterinary use of diclofenac Diclofenac for pain in dogs is used in veterinary me...

Dog breeds not recognized by the FCI

The FCI is the worldwide canine organization that approves pedigree dogs.There are several dog breeds not recognized by the FCI , even if they meet all the requirements to be considered "pure" breeds from the phylogenetic point of view. In this Animals and Pets Onlinet article We explain to you what these breeds are and why they are not recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale . Do not forget that the breed of the dog is not important unless you want to participate in morphology competitions canine.Read more: In many cases, breeds are not recognized by the FCI because they do not have a detailed written standard .In other cases because they do not meet the requirements established by the FCI.And in other cases, simply because no canine person or organization has bothered Evade the procedure so that these races are recognized by the FCI. It is also possible that political aspects outside the canine organizations have prevented the international diffu...

AIR ANIMALS - Examples and characteristics

Flying is one of the ways animals have to move , but not everyone can do it.To fly it is necessary to have physical characteristics that allow the flight.The human being, through the observation of aerial animals, has taken centuries to create a machine that flies, for example, as a bird. Only a few groups of animals have the real ability to fly, although if we see it from the perspective of the species, most of the animal species that exist on the planet fly, insects.In this article of Animal Expert we will know which are the aerial animals , their characteristics and some examples. What are air animals? Air animals are those that use flight as a mechanism of locomotion.For some animals this is their only way of moving but many others use it as an escape route in the presence of a predator. Certain animals spend the majority of their lives flying, performing all their vital functions in the air: eating, interacting with their environment and living or reproducing.For them, f...

Why is my cat very aggressive with other cats?

Did you know that aggressiveness Is it one of the most frequent problems in cats? Although obviously not for that reason we must fall into the error of associating cats with aggressiveness, since they are really domestic animals whose behavior is usually very calm.However, a cat is not a dog and therefore does not present the same level of sociability.A cat does not have to accept another cat, on many occasions, it does not even accept the presence of members of the human family in the corners that he considers to be his exclusive domain. These characteristics make up the genuine character of felines, which can sometimes become problematic.In this article of Animals and Pets Online we explain why your cat is very aggressive with other cats and how to act. Why aggression among cats? Have you decided to host more than one cat at home? This can be a good option, since each one will benefit from the presence of the other but, it also increases the risk that cats can develop aggr...

Animals and Pets Online

Search This Blog