CLASSIFICATION OF SEAL (PHOCA)
PHYLUM :- CHORDATA (Notochord, dorsal tubular nerve cord present and gill slits present)
Group :- CRANIATA (Definite head. Cranium with brain present)
Sub-phylum :- VERTEBRATA (vertebral column present)
Division :- GNATHOSTOMATA (Jaws and paired appendages present)
Super class :- TETRAPODA (Paired limbs, lungs, bony skeleton and cornified skin).
Class :-MAMMALIA (Body covered with hairs. females have mammary glands).
Sub-class :- THERIA (Viviparous).
Infra class :- EUTHERIA (Placental mammals, vagina single).
Order :- Carnivora (Carnivorous).
Genus : Phoca
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
- Found mouth in arctic and antarctic regions.
HABIT AND HABITAT
Essentially marine but not completely aquatic like whales. They spend substantial part of their life-cycles ashore mainly for breeding.
GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF SEAL : PHOCA
- Commonly called as earless common seal or sea lion. flipper-like forelimbs
- Body streamlined having more or less fish-like appearance. Body divisible into head, neck, back, chest and abdomen.
- Head contains mouth, nostril and vibrissae.
- Both forelimbs and hind limbs adapted for swimming and modified as flippers which act like oars. Feet webbed.
- Annual movement of seals starts towards warmer water. Earless seals have limited seasonal migration.
- Males larger than females.
- Seals spend much of their life in water, but they mate, give birth to babies and take care of them on the shore.
- Thick fur and blubber offer protection against freezing temperatures.
- When they dive, they decrease the heart rate for 50-80%. Elephant seal will decrease number of heart beats from 112 to 20-50 during diving.
- They can dive up to 1000-1300 feet deep when they are searching for food.
- Seals have whiskers that help them detect the vibration of the prey under water.
Special features
Seals show some degree of territorial behaviour. Adult male fur seals arrive a month before at a breeding ground called as rookeries and establish a territory for females they copulate. Female gives birth to a single young seal. At seashore, seals by their play actions, amuse man and children. Other seals are ,eared seals, walrus seals and elephants seals
Identification
Since the animal has webbed feet and above features, hence it is Phoca.
REFERENCES
- https://www.pexels.com/search/seals/
- Book of Practical Zoology VERTEBRATE by S.S.LAL – Rastogi Publications.
OUR POSTS
Comparative Account of Urinogenital Systems of VertebrateComparative Account of Urinogenital Systems of Vertebrate Urinary system of vertebrates includes kidneys and their ducts, while reproductive system includes male and female gonads and their ducts. ...READ MORE
ICHTHYOPHISICHTHYOPHIS CLASSIFICATION OF ICHTHYOPHIS PHYLUM :- CHORDATA (Notochord, dorsal tubular nerve cord present and gill slits present ) Group :- CRANIATA ( Definite head. Cranium with brain present ) ...READ MORE
LARGEST, HEAVIEST, FASTEST, SMALLEST FISHESLARGEST, HEAVIEST, FASTEST, SMALLEST FISHES LARGEST MARINE FISH Largest marine fish :- Whale-shark (Rhineodon typicus) first discovered in 1821, South Africa. It is not, however, the largest ...READ MORE
HEMIDACTYLUS : COMMON HOUSE LIZARDHEMIDACTYLUS : COMMON HOUSE LIZARD CLASSIFICATION OF HEMIDACTYLUS : COMMON HOUSE LIZARD PHYLUM :- CHORDATA (Notochord, dorsal tubular nerve cord present and gill slits present ) Group :- CRANIATA ( ...READ MORE
MOST VENOMOUS ANIMALS IN WORLDMOST VENOMOUS ANIMALS IN WORLD Numerous creatures normally produce toxins, poisons, and toxic substances to safeguard themselves and cripple their prey, while others collect poisons from the food ...READ MORE
CROTALUS : RATTLE SNAKECROTALUS : RATTLE SNAKE CLASSIFICATION OF CROTALUS : RATTLE SNAKE PHYLUM :- CHORDATA (Notochord, dorsal tubular nerve cord present and gill slits present ) Group :- CRANIATA ( Definite head. Cranium ...READ MORE
MANIS : PANGOLINMANIS : PANGOLIN CLASSIFICATION OF MANIS : PANGOLIN PHYLUM :- CHORDATA ( Notochord, dorsal tubular nerve cord present and gill slits present ) Group :- CRANIATA ( Definite head. Cranium with brain ...READ MORE
Comparative Account of Brain in VertebrateComparative Account of Brain in Vertebrate Brain of all vertebrates, from fish to man, is built in accordance with the same basic architectural plan. However, form of brain differs in different ...READ MORE
VERTEBRAL COLUMNVertebral Column Notochord In all chordate embryos, the first axial endoskeleton to appear is a slender, stiff, unsegmented, gelatinous rod, the notochord. It is present below the nerve cord and ...READ MORE
What are the apex predators of the insect world?What are the apex predators of the insect world? Answer written by :- Sergio Diniz There is one type of insect that can defeat any other insect, thus I believe this is the top apex predator among ...READ MORE
Pingback: CLASS MAMMALIA | FAUNAFONDNESS | 2021