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Below is a diagram of the external anatomy of a typical seal. The Seal has short, thick fur, grows to be up to 6.5 feet (2 metres) long and can weigh up to 375 pounds (170 kilograms). The whiskers (called vibrissae) help the seals sense of touch. The nostrils are closed in the resting state.
A diving seal uses oxygen with great efficiency. Seals have about twice as much blood per unit of volume as humans (in seals, blood takes up 12% of the total body weight; in humans, it takes up 7%). Blood carries oxygen from the lungs to other body tissues, so the high volume of blood in a seal makes it an efficient transporter of oxygen.
- 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.Feb 23, 2024 · Leopard Seal Anatomy. A seal has a head that often seems too small for its much larger body. They have pointed noses on the end. They feature a mouth of 30 to 36 teeth that are extremely sharp. They use them to tear chunks of prey to swallow as well as to defend themselves.
- Adam Atwood
Seals have a thin layer of coarse hair and more blubber. The blubber on seals that live in polar regions is typically between (3 and 5 centimeters (1.6 and 2.4 inches) thick. Seals are not as fully adapted to sea life as whales. They still retain their legs and their heads are similar in shape to those of land mammals.
Harbor seals are endothermic animals. They control their body temperatures by burning internal fuel, which in turn, keeps them warm. Harbor seals have a mouth full of teeth, but they don’t use any of them for chewing. Their front teeth are sharp and pointed, and great for grasping and tearing.
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Feb 9, 2023 · The Reproductive Behavior of the Seal. At the start of mating season, Steller sea lions congregate in their hundreds. A dominant male will have a harem of up to 30 females, which they guard aggressively. Many species of seals are polygamous, with a single male impregnating multiple females during the season.
