Scientific names are also designed to tell you something about the animal's relationships with other animals. The scientific name of the Sea Otter is Enhydra lutris, which simply means ‘in water otter’ in Greek and Latin. Otaria flavescens. Mating occurs in December until January. The elusive otter is one of our top predators, feeding mainly on fish (particularly eels and salmonids), waterbirds, amphibians and crustaceans. Originally named Lutra marina, it underwent numerous name changes before being accepted as Enhydra lutris in 1922. The sea otter fits all of these characteristics and also is active year round like members in this family. Otters have their cubs in underground burrows, known as 'holts'. They are solitary, diurnal carnivores. Sea otters can five to 250 feet (76 meters) to forage for food. The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) is a semiaquatic mammal in the weasel family.While it may simply be called the "river otter" in North America (to distinguish it from the sea otter) there are other river otter species throughout the world. Two species are marine; the others live mostly in fresh water. This particular species is given the scientific name of Enhydra lutris. photo M Noonan The North American river otter is considered a medium to large sized otter, with adults ranging in length from 3 to 5 feet and weighing between 10 and 30 pounds. The average length of a female sea otter is 4 ft in length and weigh on average 60 pounds. Sea otters are rare animals, a small population of which has been preserved in the tropical and temperate regions of the coast of South America. Kingdom: Animalia While illegal, harvesting marine otters is a fairly frequent occurrence in Chile, as the potential of being caught and fined is low. They have brown fur but parts of their head and their whole chests fur turns an off-white color. Sea otters once ranged from Mexico to Alaska and Japan. Sea otters (scientific name: Enhydra lutris) can be found in shallow water areas in the North Pacific Ocean. Arctocephalus gazella. Balaenoptera borealis. Their name comes from its habit of sitting motionless in wait, and catching other marine species with a flick of its head and a quick mouth as prey swims by. They are listed as endangered by IUCN and in cites appendix i. Reproduction is dioecious. Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae.The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic or marine, with diets based on fish and invertebrates.Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which also includes weasels, badgers, mink, and wolverines, among other animals. Marine otters are dark brown above, a lighter fawn colour below. Physeter macrocephalus. The otter is lithe and slender with short legs, a strong neck, and a long flat tail that helps propel it gracefully through water. Introduction. View Taxonomy Project.pptx from ZOOLOGY 26.07 at Creekview High School. The first scientific description of the sea otter is contained in the field notes of Georg Steller from 1751, and the species was described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. Excellent and lithe swimmers, the young are in the water by 10 weeks of age. They are the smallest marine mammal and are found primarily in Chile and Peru on the west coast of South America. Marine Mammal Commission : A list of Marine Mammal Contract Reports is available directly from the Commission, 1625 I St. NW, Washington, DC 20006. Reproduction Period: Female sea otters reach sexual maturity at 2–5 years of age. The marine otter prefers habitat with rocky coastal areas and bays and inlets near estuaries. Sea otter teeth are adapted for crushing hard-shelled invertebrates such as clams, urchins, and crabs. Enhydra lutris. The marine otter seems to prefer solitary living but has sometimes been seen in groups of three or more. All sea otters belong to the genus Enhydra. I'm always surprised how most people, including many biologists, seem to think that the common name of an animal must somehow be indicative of its natural history. Domain: Eukarya. Marine otters are often illegally captured and killed for their pelts, which are used for footwear, especially boots. Sea otter scientific name is Enhydra lutris. As someone who studies otters in a marine habitat, I've come to regard the term "river otter" as something of an annoyance. The scientific name of the giant otter is Pteronura brasiliensis. ... Sea otter. The name for a group of these animals is a 'romp,’ ‘bevy,’ ‘family,’ ‘lodge,’ or ‘raft'. The sea otter is the only member of this genus. MAMMALS: Antarctic fur seal. Marine otter (Lontra felina) images and facts - this gallery provides stock photos of the marine otter in its natural environment, both in and out of the water. FACTFILE: MINK Scientific name: Mustela vison Nose: Mink have pointed noses Markings: Sometimes has a pure white spot under the chin Colour: Usually very dark, almost black Tail: Mink tails are almost bushy when dry Size: Mink are about the same size as ferrets, which makes them significantly smaller than otters, with a length of 30-45cm and a tail of 15-25cm on top. The sea otter's dark brown fur is the finest and densest of any animal fur. River otters (the scientific name is Lontra canadensis) live in lots of different waterways, including freshwater streams, ponds, estuaries and along the coast. The final scientific name is Balaenoptera musculus with the genus capitalized and the species name in lower case letters and both italicized. Sea otters live in shallow coastal waters in the northern Pacific Ocean. https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/animals-a-to-z/sea-otter Scientific Name. The scientific order Carnivora includes all mammals belonging to the dog, cat, and bear families, as well as raccoons and otters. The species name for blue whales is musculus, meaning that in addition to other common traits, whales of the species musculus are able to breed with each other and provide viable (living) offspring. It prefers to eat crustaceans and mollusks and occasionally fish and aquatic vegetation. The names for an otter is Scientific Name: Lutra canadensis Common Name: River otter Ask Question Log in Home Science Math History Literature Technology Health Law Business All Topics Random A sea otter relies on its fur to keep warm because it doesn't have an insulating layer of blubber as other marine mammals do. Two sea otter subspecies occur in the United States, the southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) and the northern sea otter (E.l. kenyoni).Southern sea otters, also known as California sea otters, live in the waters along the central California coastline. When hunting for prey, Marine otters will dive as deep as 30 to 40 m. A baby marine otter is a 'pup’ or ‘whelp'. Common Name: Northern Sea Otter Scientific Name: Enhydra lutris kenyoni. When otters dive, they are able to seal their nose and ears. There are many ways to get involved. Sea otters use the kelp to wrap themselves in when they are resting. Taxonomy Project Sea Otters Enhydra lutris • Common name: Sea Otter Enhydra Mustelidae • Scientific name: Enhydra Blue whale. The range of these mammals extends from Peru to the southern part of Cape Horn, and in Argentina, on the coast of the Tierra del Fuego. The muzzle, throat, and lips are not spotted, as in some other otter species. Individuals can grow to 676.55 mm. Marine otters are little-known, seldom photographed creatures. On an adult animal, there are an estimated 650,000 hairs per square inch. Despite its common name, the North American river otter is equally comfortable in either coastal marine or freshwater habitats. Listings are by subject, locality, vernacular name, scientific name, and author. Special publications and Mammalian Species may be ordered from the Secretary of the Society. Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) have been managed under international law longer (starting in 1911) than most marine mammal species (Figure 1).However, science and conservation-based management decisions began about 60 years ago, and much of the research on sea otters in the United States has occurred since the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. The scientific name for the Marine otter is Lontra felina. Learn about more amazing animals on our Artic Animals page. Family - Mustelidae All otters belong to the family Mustelidae, along with weasels, skunks, minks, and badgers. They rely on running to move around. Common Name. The nose pad is black, and variations in its structure may be useful in indicating stocks of marine otters (nose pad variations are used to distinguish different species within the otter subfamily). APPENDIX H Guide to the Common and Scientific Names of Marine Mammal, Fish, Invertebrate, and Bird Species. Sea otters eat fish and marine invertebrates like crabs, urchins, sea stars, and abalone, as well as squid and octopuses. They are the smallest marine mammal, but the average adult can be as large as 5 ft in length and can be as heavy as 70 pounds. Some of these animals have hard shells, which protect them from predators. The sea otter is only one of 13 otter species, but it’s also the only living member of its genus. They especially like to reside in waters with kelp beds. Otter, any of 13–14 species of semiaquatic mammals that belong to the weasel family and are noted for their playfulness. They are associated with freshwater habitat. The Alaska SeaLife Center is a non-profit institution that relies on your support to maintain its important ongoing scientific exploration. What is the scientic name for the giant otter? Southern sea lion. Scientific name of blobfish is psychroulutesmarcidus. Please click on the links above to find an option that is ideal for you. But that isn't an issue for the talented sea otter, which cracks open the shells by … Marine Otter Lontra felina (Molina, 1782) kingdom Animalia - animals » phylum Chordata - chordates » class Mammalia - mammals » order Carnivora - carnivores » family Mustelidae » genus Lontra - otter Its scientific name is Lontra canadensis, which means "otter belonging to Canada", although this otter species range includes much more of North America than Canada. 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