Chapter 9Marine Vertebrates

VertebratesAnimals with a backboneBreathe air

Marine VertebratesReptilesSea BirdsMarine Mammals

ReptilesDry Scaly SkinLeathery egg shells

Sea TurtlesSea SnakesMarine IguanaSaltwater Crocodile

Sea Turtles 7 Species350 species of turtles most are land dwellersMost dangerous part of their life is the first ten yearsHave been around at least 200 million yearsLife to about 80Carapace shell on backPlastron shell on belly

Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)Swim 20 mph300 lbs4 scutes on each sideEggs size and shape of a ping pong ballFibropapilloma - virus that causes tumors on the turtle

Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata)Eat SpongesHawk like beak100-250 lbsBeautiful shell

Leatherback Dermochelys coriacea8 ft long 2000 lbs1.5 ounce hatchlingEat jellyfishFound in more places than any other reptileBody and shell like rubber120 million years oldOnce 6 species of LBShell is 1.6 in thick7 ridges in front 5 in backMales have a pink patch on their heads

Baby LeatherbacksCaribbean nest from March to JulyPacific nest from Oct to JanGestation period 2 monthsFemales lay eggs every 2 to 3 yearsLay 120 lbs of eggs in 4 to 5 nests over 4 months45 160 eggs in a nestEggs are 1.3 to 2.3 lbsColder temps more male hatchlings

Kemps Ridley (Lepidochlys kempii)85 100 lbs

Loggerhead (Caretta caretta)

250-350 lbs5 scutes on each side

BirdsBreed in coloniesMate for lifeLife at sea nest on land

Penguins17 speciesAll are found in the Southern HemisphereSwim about 8 mph

Emperor PenguinLargest penguinCan dive down to 1750 ftHolds its breath for 20 minutes4 feet tall 85 pounds

Little Penguin(Eudyptula minor) Smallest penguin16 inches tall 2 lbsLive in the dunes on the shores of Australia and New Zealand

Tubenoses

Albatross Shearwater Petrel

Pelicans

Gulls

Marine MammalsHairFeed babies milkProduce a few well cared for youngDo not drink water from foodBlubber is also a source of water

Pinnipedswinged footedSealsSea Lions and Fur SealsWalruses

Harbor Seal

Elephant SealMales 16.5 ft.5000 lbs (2 cars)Can sty underwater for 2 hoursPup weights 85 lbs at birth nurses for a month and triples its weightProboscis begins to enlarge at 4 to 5 years not fully developed until sexually mature at 9 to 10 years

Sea LionWalk on all four flippersFront flippers to swim, rear to steerEar flapsCalf is nursed for 6 months to a year

Walrus12 feet longUp to 3000 lbs100 lbs of shellfish a dayTusks 3 feet longUse tusks to pull out on ice1/3 of an adult is blubberSecond largest pinneped (elephant seal largest)No fur need to sun themselves400 bristles on face to feel for food on the ocean bottom

Sea OttersSmallest sea mammalsPacific coast of north and south AmericaNo blubberThickest fur of any animal4 to 5 feet85 lbsEat a th of their body weight each day

Polar BearNorthern Canada and GreenlandLargest of all bearsMales 8 ft when standing up right1500 poundsPartially webbed front paws

Sea Cows and Sirenians8 to 12 feet 440 1320 lbsClosest relative to an elephantTeeth continuously replaced because they are worn down by the vegetationEats 55 to 95 pounds dailyManatee paddle shaped tailDugongs forked tail

Cetaceans Baleen WhalesRorquals have long ridges in their throat

Toothed Whales

Baleen Whales

Blue Whale Baleen Whale100 feet 300,000 lbsFeeding season 10,000 lbs of krill a dayHeart size of a small car (1000 lbs)14,000 lbs of bloodAdult could crawl through the large blood vesselsTongue weighs as much as an elephantToddler can fit into a blowholeEyes the size of grapefruitsBaleen plates 3 ft long (540 -790 plates)Swim 14 mpg Olympic swimmer 2 mph

Blue Whale CalfWeighs 6000 lbs at birthCan gain 9 lbs an hourGains 200 lbs a day7 months 50 ft long 46,000 lbsNursing mom may lose 1/3 of her body weight 100,000 lbs

Minke Whale - 2nd smallest whale33 ft long 20,000 lbs

Gray Whale50 ftFeed off mud on the bottom

Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)45-50 ft 33 tonsFlipper can be 17 ft in length3 separate populations (N. Atlantic, N. Pacific, Antarctic Seas to the South Pacific)Summer food rich water at the polesWinter warm tropical and subtropical waters

Rich milk 40% fat (humans 2 %, Cow 4%)Calf drinks 100 gallons a dayGains 50 lbs a day

Humpback name comes from their diving technique Arches body when getting ready to dive the arching action pushed the dorsal fin up into an arched position

Right Whale36 - 60 ft ave. 50 ft.120,000 lbsBaleen can be 7-13 ft longNamed for being easy to kill since they float the Right Whale

Pygmy Right WhaleSmallest baleen whaleFemale 20 ft 7500 lbs

4 Wright WhalesNorthern only 350 leftSouthernBowheadPygmy

Bowhead WhaleBaleen can be 7-13 ft long

Toothed Whales

Sperm Whale70 ftCan dive down about 9000 feet

Porpoise5 ftSpade shaped teethRounded snoutTriangular dorsal fin

Dolphin4 to 30 ftSharp cone shaped teeth (108)Pointed or beaked snoutHooked or curved dorsal finBigger dolphins live in colder water27 mp

Killer Whale30 ftSwim up to 30 mphHunt in podsOrca = sea devilDorsal fin 6 ft tall

The End