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Seals have shorter limbs than most other mammals. Their limbs have evolved into flippers with true seals having more developed hind flippers and eared seals having more developed fore flippers. A seals eyes are well adapted for seeing both above and below the water. When diving the seal has a clear membrane that covers and protects its eyes.
Like many marine animals, Harbor seals have streamlined fusiform bodies, tapered at both ends. Harbor seals have spotty coats. The dorsal side has more spots then the ventral side. To move around, the Harbor seal depends on its flippers. The pectoral, or fore, flippers are short and webbed with five bony digits.
- Size
- Coloration
- Foreflippers
- Hind Flippers
- Head
- Hair
Males reach about 1.4 to 2.0 m (4.6-6.6 ft.) and 70 to 170 kg (154-375 lb.).Females reach about 1.2 to 1.7 m (3.9-5.6 ft.) and 50 to 150 kg (110-331 lb.).Harbor seals range in color from light gray to silver with dark spots. Some are black or dark gray to brown with white rings. Spots or rings are numerous on the dorsal (back) surface and more sparse on the ventral (underside) surface. In some areas, such as San Francisco Bay, a number of harbor seals have a red or rust coloration from iron oxide de...
Limbs are modified into flippers. The foreflippers, or pectoral flippers, have all the major skeletal elements of the forelimbs of land mammals, but they are foreshortened and modified.A harbor seal's flippers are short and webbed. Each foreflipper has five digits of about equal length.The foreflippers have noticeable claws. The claws are blunt and measure about 2.5 to 5 cm (1-2 in.). Harbor seals use their claws for scratching, grooming, and defense.Foreflippers are covered with hair.Like land mammals, seals have five bony digits in the hind, or pelvic, limbs. The first and fifth digits are long and stout; the middle digits are shorter and thinner.Digits of the hind flippers are webbed. When a harbor seal spreads its hind flippers, the flippers look like wide fans.Like the foreflippers, the hind flippers have claws and are covered with hair.Harbor seals move their hind flippers side-to-side to propel themselves in water. The hind flippers also function as a rudder.A harbor seal has a rounded head with a fairly blunt snout.A harbor seal lacks external ear flaps. Its ear openings close when it dives.Harbor seals have 34 to 36 teeth. The front teeth are pointed and sharp, adapted for grasping and tearing (not chewing) their food. Harbor seals often use their back teeth for crushing shells and c...Vibrissae (whiskers) grow from the thick pads of a seal's upper lip and cheeks. Vibrissae are attached to muscles and are supplied with blood and nerves. Vibrissae continually grow throughout a sea...Harbor seals have thick, short hair. The coat is made of coarse guard hairs and finer, but denser underhairs. Each guard hair has three to six underhair fibers attached to the root.The density of a harbor seal's hair increases with age.Glands in the skin secrete oil which helps waterproof the hair.The hair provides no insulation for the harbor seal.Weight: 99 – 7100 lb (45 – 3200 kg) The Baikal seal is the smallest at 3ft and 99lbs, while the male Southern Elephant seal is the largest, measuring 16ft and 7100lbs. Flippers: All seals have four fin-like appendages called flippers, which help them move on land and sea. Seals and walruses have shorter flippers, while sea lions have longer ...
- Mammalia
- Chordata
- Carnivora
Pinnipeds come in all shapes and sizes. (Smithsonian Institution) Pinnipeds include the families Odobenidae (walrus), Phocidae (true seals), and Otariidae (fur seals and sea lions). Today, there are 33 species. Some species exhibit sexual dimorphism, meaning the two sexes look distinctly different from one another.
Oct 19, 2023 · Limbs: Seals have flipper-like limbs with webbed fingers that make them efficient swimmers but not well-equipped for walking on land. Dogs, on the other hand, have paws designed for walking and running. Fur: Seals have a sleek fur coat designed to keep them warm in cold waters, and their fur is often short and dense. Dogs have a wide range of ...
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The spinal cord is quite short in seals, compared to other mammals. Seal senses include touch, smell, taste, sight, hearing, and perhaps echolocation. Hearing in seals is especially keen, while smell is not well developed. Seal vision is remarkable in that vision underwater is about the same as a cat' s vision on land. Seal researchers have ...
