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OCN 201 Fourteenth Reading Discussion Questions

Animals of the Pelagic Environment

Trujillo and Thurman - Chapter 14

14.1 What Characteristics Do Marine Mammals Possess?

1. Give the evolutionary history of marine mammals.

Mammalian Characteristics

2. List the characteristics shared by all mammals.

3. Use fig. 14.16 to list the three mammalian (taxonomic) orders.

Order Carnivora

4. Use fig. 14.16 to list the three types of animals in order Carnivora. (Also see fig. 14.17)

5. Use fig. 14.16 to list the three types of pinnipeds.

6. Where is the sea otter habitat?

7. Explain why sea otters required a high caloric diet.

8. Explain why polar bears' have hollow hairs.

9. Where is the polar bear habitat?

10. Explain why seals have large rear flippers, whereas sea lions have large front flippers. (Also see fig. 14.18)

Order Sirenia

11. Use fig. 14.16 to list the two types of animals in order Sirenia. (Also see fig. 14.19)

12. Where are the manatee and dugong habitats?

13. Give the primary food for sirenians.

14. Give two reasons why sirenians are listed as endangered species.

Order Cetacea

15. List the characteristics shared by all cetaceans.

16. Explain how cetaceans' skin evolved to permit increased swimming speeds.

17. How have cetaceans evolved to be able to dive to depths deeper than 2800 m?

18. Contrast the oxygen usage per breath for cetaceans and humans. (Also see fig. 14.21)

19. Explain how cetaceans' muscles evolved to permit deep dives.

20. Explain how cetaceans evolved to reduce nitrogen absorption in blood during deep dives.

21. List the two cetacean suborders and give and example of each type. (Also see fig.14.20)

22. Which cetacean is the most vocal?

23. Describe the morphological differences between porpoises and dolphins.

24. Give the uses of echolocation by cetaceans.

25. Explain how the increasing number of ships is affection cetaceans.

26. Explain why some scientist think that whales are highly intelligent.

27. List several suborder mysticeti whales.

28. Explain why baleen whales tend to by larger than toothed whales.

29. Explain how baleen whales feed. (Also see fig. 14.25)