Ontogenetic changes in southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) fur morphology

Author:

Riordan Kate1ORCID,Dean Annika E.1,Adema Payton1,Thometz Nicole M.2,Batac Francesca I.3,Liwanag Heather E. M.1

Affiliation:

1. Department of Biological Sciences California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo California USA

2. Department of Biology University of San Francisco San Francisco California USA

3. California Department of Fish and Wildlife Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center Santa Cruz California USA

Abstract

AbstractMany animals exhibit morphological changes across ontogeny associated with adaptations to their environment. Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) have the densest fur of any animal, which is composed of guard hairs, intermediate hairs, and underhairs. Sea otters live in cold water environments, and their fur traps a layer of air to remain properly insulated, due to morphological adaptations that allow the hairs to trap air when submerged. When a sea otter is born, it has a natal pelage which it will eventually molt and replace with a pelt resembling the adult pelage. Past studies have investigated the morphology and hair density of adult sea otter fur, but these characteristics have not been measured for other age classes, including for the natal pelage. This study quantified ontogenetic changes in hair morphology of southern sea otter (E. lutris nereis) pelts. We measured guard hair length and circularity, shape of cuticular scales on guard hairs and underhairs, and overall hair density for sea otter pelts across six age classes: neonate (<1 month), small pup (1–2 months), large pup (3–5 months), juvenile (6 months–1 year), subadult (1–3 years), and adult (4–9 years). Neonate and small pup pelts had significantly longer guard hairs than older age classes. Natal pelage guard hairs were similarly shaped but smaller in diameter than adult guard hairs. Hairs of the natal pelage had similar cuticular scale patterns as adult hairs, indicating the importance of this structure for the function of the fur. Natal pelage had a lower hair density than the pelage of older age classes, with the adult pelage exhibiting the highest hair density. Overall, the morphological differences between natal and adult pelage in sea otters suggest functional differences that may make sea otter pups more vulnerable to heat loss.

Funder

Council on Ocean Affairs Science and Technology, California State University

Publisher

Wiley

Subject

Developmental Biology,Animal Science and Zoology

Reference34 articles.

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