"Caniformia Caniformia, or Canoidea (literally """"dog-like""""), is a suborder within the order Carnivora. They typically possess a long snout and nonretractile claws (in contrast to the cat-like carnivorans, the Feliformia). The Pinnipedia (seals, walruses and sea lions) are also assigned to this group. The center of diversification for Caniformia is North America and northern Eurasia. This contrasts with the feliforms, the center of diversification of which was in Africa and southern Asia. Most members of this group have nonretractile claws (the fisher, marten, red panda, and ringtail have retractile or semiretractile claws) and tend to be plantigrade (with the exception"
"Endangered. Sea lions are related to walruses and seals. Together with the fur seals, they constitute the family Otariidae, collectively known as eared seals. Until recently, sea lions were grouped under a single subfamily called Otariinae, whereas fur seals were grouped in the subfamily Arcocephalinae. This division was based on the most prominent common feature shared by the fur seals and absent in the sea lions, namely the dense underfur characteristic of the former. Recent genetic evidence, suggests ""Callorhinus"", the genus of the northern fur seal, is more closely related to some sea lion species than to the other fur"
"closest living relatives are bears and musteloids (weasels, raccoons, skunks, and red pandas), having diverged about 50 million years ago. Seals range in size from the and Baikal seal to the and southern elephant seal, which is also the largest member of the order Carnivora. Several species exhibit sexual dimorphism. They have streamlined bodies and four limbs that are modified into flippers. Though not as fast in the water as dolphins, seals are more flexible and agile. Otariids use their front limbs primarily to propel themselves through the water, while phocids and walruses use their hind limbs. Otariids and walruses"
"Gull Gulls or seagulls are seabirds of the family Laridae in the suborder Lari. They are most closely related to the terns (family Sternidae) and only distantly related to auks, skimmers, and more distantly to the waders. Until the 21st century, most gulls were placed in the genus ""Larus"", but this arrangement is now considered polyphyletic, leading to the resurrection of several genera. An older name for gulls is mews, cognate with German ""Möwe"", Danish ""måge"", Dutch ""meeuw"", and French ""mouette""; this term can still be found in certain regional dialects. Gulls are typically medium to large birds, usually grey"
"Otariidae Although the two subfamilies of otariids, the Otariinae (sea lions) and Arctocephalinae (fur seals), are still widely used, recent molecular studies have demonstrated that they may be invalid. Instead, they suggest three clades within the family; one consisting of the northern sea lions (""Eumetopias"" and ""Zalophus""), one of the northern fur seal (""Callorhinus"") and its extinct relatives, and the third of all the remaining Southern Hemisphere species. Eared seal An eared seal or otariid or otary is any member of the marine mammal family Otariidae, one of three groupings of pinnipeds. They comprise 15 extant species in seven genera"
"Marine mammal Marine mammals are aquatic mammals that rely on the ocean and other marine ecosystems for their existence. They include animals such as seals, whales, manatees, sea otters and polar bears. They do not represent a distinct taxon or systematic grouping, but rather have a polyphyletic relation due to convergent evolution, as in they do not have an immediate common ancestor. They are also unified by their reliance on the marine environment for feeding. Marine mammal adaptation to an aquatic lifestyle varies considerably between species. Both cetaceans and sirenians are fully aquatic and therefore are obligate water dwellers. Seals"
"Walruses: A Review of the Pinnipedia"". The two genera of monk seals, ""Monachus"" and ""Neomonachus"", comprise three species: the Mediterranean monk seal (""Monachus monachus""), the Hawaiian monk seal (""Neomonachus schauinslandi""), and the Caribbean monk seal (""N. tropicalis""), which became extinct in the 20th century. All three monk seal species were classified in genus ""Monachus"" until 2014, when comparison of the species' mitochondrial cytochrome b DNA sequences led biologists to place the Caribbean and Hawaiian species in a new genus, ""Neomonachus"". Fossils of the Mediterranean and Caribbean species are known from the Pleistocene. The time of divergence between the Hawaiian and"
"Southern elephant seal The southern elephant seal (""Mirounga leonina"") is one of the two species of elephant seals. It is the largest member of the clade Pinnipedia and the order Carnivora, as well as the largest extant marine mammal that is not a cetacean. It gets its name from its massive size and the large proboscis of the adult male, which is used to produce very loud roars, especially during the breeding season. A bull southern elephant seal is about 40% heavier than a male northern elephant seal (""Mirounga angustirostris""), more than twice as heavy as a male walrus (""Odobenus"
"Lari The suborder Lari is the part of the order Charadriiformes that includes the gulls, terns, skuas and skimmers; the rest of the order is made up of the waders and snipes. The auks are now placed into the Lari too, following recent research. Sometimes, the buttonquails are also placed here, but the molecular data and fossil record rather suggests they are a quite basal offshoot along with the snipe-like and aberrant waders. The larids are generally larger species that take fish from the sea. Several gulls and skuas will also take food items from beaches, or rob smaller species,"
"Whale Whales are a widely distributed and diverse group of fully aquatic placental marine mammals. They are an informal grouping within the infraorder Cetacea, usually excluding dolphins and porpoises. Whales, dolphins and porpoises belong to the order Cetartiodactyla with even-toed ungulates and their closest living relatives are the hippopotamuses, having diverged about 40 million years ago. The two parvorders of whales, baleen whales (Mysticeti) and toothed whales (Odontoceti), are thought to have split apart around 34 million years ago. The whales comprise eight extant families: Balaenopteridae (the rorquals), Balaenidae (right whales), Cetotheriidae (the pygmy right whale), Eschrichtiidae (the grey whale),"
"Sea angel Sea angels (clade Gymnosomata) are a large group of extremely small, swimming sea slugs, not to be confused with Cnidarians (Jellies and other similar creatures), classified into six different families. They are pelagic opisthobranchs in the clade Gymnosomata within the larger clade Heterobranchia. Sea angels were previously referred to as a type of pteropod. Sea angels are also sometimes known as ""cliones"" but this is potentially misleading because the family Clionidae is just one of the families within this clade. Recent molecular data suggest the Gymnosomata form a sister group to the Thecosomata (other planktonic, weakly or nonmineralized"
"seal genus, ""Arctocephalus"". Therefore, the fur seal/sea lion subfamily distinction has been eliminated from many taxonomies. Nonetheless, all fur seals have certain features in common: the fur, generally smaller sizes, farther and longer foraging trips, smaller and more abundant prey items, and greater sexual dimorphism. All sea lions have certain features in common, in particular their coarse, short fur, greater bulk, and larger prey than fur seals. For these reasons, the distinction remains useful. The family Otariidae (Order Carnivora) contains the 14 extant species of fur seals and sea lions. Traditional classification of the family into the subfamilies Arctocephalinae (fur"
"Sea turtle Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea), sometimes called marine turtles, are reptiles of the order Testudines and of the suborder cryptodira. The seven existing species of sea turtles are: the green, loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, olive ridley, hawksbill, flatback, and leatherback. The majority of a sea turtle's body is protected by its shell. The turtle's shell is divided into two sections: the carapace (the dorsal portion) and the plastron (the ventral portion). The shell is made up of smaller plates called scutes. The leatherback is the only sea turtle that does not have a hard shell. Instead, it bears a mosaic"
"Abalone Abalone ( or ; via Spanish """", from Rumsen ""aulón"") is a common name for any of a group of small to very large sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Haliotidae. Other common names are ear shells, sea ears, and muttonfish or muttonshells in Australia, ormer in Great Britain, abalone in South Africa, and in New Zealand. Abalone are marine snails. Their taxonomy puts them in the family Haliotidae which contains only one genus, ""Haliotis"", which once contained six subgenera. These subgenera have become alternate representations of ""Haliotis"". The number of species recognized worldwide ranges between 30"
"recently, fur seals were all grouped under a single subfamily of Pinnipedia, called the Arctocephalinae, to contrast them with Otariinae – the sea lions – based on the most prominent common feature, namely the coat of dense underfur intermixed with guard hairs. Recent genetic evidence, however, suggests ""Callorhinus"" is more closely related to some sea lion species, and the fur seal/sea lion subfamily distinction has been eliminated from many taxonomies. Nonetheless, all fur seals have certain features in common: the fur, generally smaller sizes, farther and longer foraging trips, smaller and more abundant prey items, and greater sexual dimorphism. For"
"marine mammal species such as seals, dolphins, whales, manatees, sea otters and polar bears. They do not represent a distinct taxon or systematic grouping, but are instead unified by their reliance on the marine environment for feeding. Both cetaceans and sirenians are fully aquatic and therefore are obligate water dwellers. Seals and sea-lions are semiaquatic; they spend the majority of their time in the water, but need to return to land for important activities such as mating, breeding and molting. In contrast, both otters and the polar bear are much less adapted to aquatic living. Their diet varies considerably as"
"a different genus and inhabits the North Pacific. Fur seals and sea lions make up the family Otariidae. Along with the Phocidae and Odobodenidae, ottariids are pinnipeds descending from a common ancestor most closely related to modern bears. The name pinniped refers to mammals with front and rear flippers. Otariids arose about 15-17 million years ago in the Miocene, and were originally land mammals that rapidly diversified and adapted to a marine environment, giving rise to the semiaquatic marine mammals that thrive today. Fur seals and sea lions are closely related and commonly known together as the ""eared seals"". Until"
"Nautilus The nautilus (from the Latin form of the original , 'sailor') is a pelagic marine mollusc of the cephalopod family Nautilidae, the sole extant family of the superfamily Nautilaceae and of its smaller but near equal suborder, Nautilina. It comprises six living species in two genera, the type of which is the genus ""Nautilus"". Though it more specifically refers to species ""Nautilus pompilius"", the name chambered nautilus is also used for any of the Nautilidae. All are protected under CITES Appendix II. Nautilidae, both extant and extinct, are characterized by involute or more or less convolute shells that are"
"organized into seven genera with 16 species and two subspecies. Nonetheless, because of morphological and behavioral similarities among the ""fur seals"" and ""sea lions"", these remain useful categories when discussing differences between groups of species. Compared to sea lions, fur seals are generally smaller, exhibit greater sexual dimorphism, eat smaller prey and go on longer foraging trips; and, of course, there is the contrast between the coarse short sea lion hair and the fur seal's fur. Otariids have proportionately much larger foreflippers and pectoral muscles than phocids, and have the ability to turn their hind limbs forward and walk on"
"and some have become adapted to inland environments. Lari The suborder Lari is the part of the order Charadriiformes that includes the gulls, terns, skuas and skimmers; the rest of the order is made up of the waders and snipes. The auks are now placed into the Lari too, following recent research. Sometimes, the buttonquails are also placed here, but the molecular data and fossil record rather suggests they are a quite basal offshoot along with the snipe-like and aberrant waders. The larids are generally larger species that take fish from the sea. Several gulls and skuas will also take"
"seals due to the presence of pinnae. These animals rely on their well-developed fore-flippers to propel themselves through the water. They can also turn their hind-flippers forward and ""walk"" on land. The anterior end of an otariid's frontal bones extends between the nasal bones, and the supraorbital foramen is large and flat horizontally. The supraspinatous fossas are divided by a ""secondary spine"" and the bronchi are divided anteriorly. Otariids consist of two types: sea lions and fur seals. Sea lions are distinguished by their rounder snouts and shorter, rougher pelage, while fur seals have more pointed snouts, longer fore-flippers and"
"these reasons, the distinction remains useful. Fur seals comprise two genera: ""Callorhinus"", and ""Arctocephalus"". ""Callorhinus"" is represented by just one species in the Northern Hemisphere, the northern fur seal (""Callorhinus ursinus""), and ""Arctocephalus"" is represented by eight species in the Southern Hemisphere. The southern fur seals comprising the genus ""Arctocephalus"" include Antarctic fur seals, Galapagos fur seals, Juan Fernandez fur seals, New Zealand fur seals, brown fur seals, South American fur seals, and subantarctic fur seals. Along with the previously mentioned thick underfur, fur seals are distinguished from sea lions by their smaller body structure, greater sexual dimorphism, smaller prey,"
"remain an area of active study and research. Earless seal The earless seals, phocids or true seals are one of the three main groups of mammals within the seal lineage, Pinnipedia. All true seals are members of the family Phocidae . They are sometimes called crawling seals to distinguish them from the fur seals and sea lions of the family Otariidae. Seals live in the oceans of both hemispheres and, with the exception of the more tropical monk seals, are mostly confined to polar, subpolar, and temperate climates. The Baikal seal is the only species of exclusively freshwater seal. In"
"up to the comparison. Those belonging to the much larger suborder Sessiliflorae lack feathery structures and grow in club-like or radiating forms. The latter suborder includes what are commonly known as sea pansies. The earliest accepted fossils are known from the Cambrian-aged Burgess Shale (""Thaumaptilon""). Similar fossils from the Ediacaran (ala ""Charnia"") may show the dawn of sea pens. Precisely what these early fossils are, however, is not decided. The order Pennatulacea consists of the following families: As octocorals, sea pens are colonial animals with multiple polyps (which look somewhat like miniature sea anemones), each with eight tentacles. Unlike other"
"Sirenia The Sirenia, commonly referred to as sea cows or sirenians, are an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit swamps, rivers, estuaries, marine wetlands, and coastal marine waters. The Sirenia currently comprise the families Dugongidae (the dugong) and Trichechidae (manatees) with a total of four species. The Protosirenidae (Eocene sirenians) and Prorastomidae (terrestrial sirenians) families are extinct. Sirenians are classified in the clade Paenungulata, alongside the elephants and the hyraxes, and evolved in the Eocene 50 million years ago. The Dugongidae diverged from the Trichechidae in the late Eocene or early Oligocene. Sirenians grow to between in length"
"Mediterranean monk seal The Mediterranean monk seal (""Monachus monachus"") is a monk seal belonging to the family Phocidae. , it is estimated that fewer than 700 individuals survive in three or four isolated subpopulations in the Mediterranean, (especially) in the Aegean Sea, the archipelago of Madeira and the Cabo Blanco area in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. It is believed to be the world's rarest pinniped species. This species of seal grows from approximately long at birth up to an average of as adults. Males weigh an average of and females weigh , with overall weight ranging from . They are"
"the soles of their feet. Most species have nonretractile claws. Early procyonids may have been an offshoot of the canids that adapted to more omnivorous diets. Pinnipedia (seals, sea lions, and walruses clade) is a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals which is closely related to an extinct group of pinnipeds, Enaliarctos. While support for the monophyly of pinnipeds is strong, the relationship of pinnipeds to terrestrial mammals is still unclear. Some studies support the hypothesis that the bears are their closest relatives, while others support a closer relationship to the mustelids. Pinnipeds split from other caniforms"
"gannets, and auks. Although they spend most of their lives in the ocean, species such as gulls can often be found thousands of miles inland. There are five main types of marine mammals, namely cetaceans (toothed whales and baleen whales); sirenians such as manatees; pinnipeds including seals and the walrus; sea otters; and the polar bear. All are air-breathing, and while some such as the sperm whale can dive for prolonged periods, all must return to the surface to breathe. Marine habitats can be divided into coastal and open ocean habitats. Coastal habitats are found in the area that extends"
"Serow The serows ( or ) are six species of medium-sized goat-like or antelope-like mammals of the genus Capricornis. All six species of serow were until recently also classified under ""Naemorhedus"", which now only contains the gorals. They live in central or eastern Asia. Like their smaller relatives the gorals, serows are often found grazing on rocky hills, though typically at a lower elevation when the two types of animal share territory. Serows are slower and less agile than gorals, but they nevertheless can climb slopes to escape predation and to take shelter during cold winters or hot summers. Serows,"
"subfamilies Imagotariinae, Dusignathinae and Odobeninae. The key distinguishing feature was the development of a squirt/suction feeding mechanism; tusks are a later feature specific to Odobeninae, of which the modern walrus is the last remaining (relict) species. Two subspecies of walrus are widely recognized: the Atlantic walrus, ""O. r. rosmarus"" (Linnaeus, 1758) and the Pacific walrus, ""O. r. divergens"" (Illiger, 1815). Fixed genetic differences between the Atlantic and Pacific subspecies indicate very restricted gene flow, but relatively recent separation, estimated at 500,000 and 785,000 years ago. These dates coincide with the hypothesis derived from fossils that the walrus evolved from a"
"Mammal Mammals ( from Latin ""mamma"" ""breast"") are vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia, and characterized by the presence of mammary glands, which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young; a neocortex (a region of the brain); hair; and three middle ear bones. These characteristics distinguish them from reptiles and birds, from which they diverged in the late Triassic. There are around 5,450 species of mammals. The largest orders are the rodents, bats and Soricomorpha (shrews and allies). The next three are the Primates (apes, monkeys, and allies), the Cetartiodactyla (whales and even-toed ungulates), and the Carnivora (cats,"
"Weasel A weasel is a mammal of the genus Mustela of the family Mustelidae. The genus ""Mustela"" includes the least weasels, polecats, stoats, ferrets and minks. Members of this genus are small, active predators, with long and slender bodies and short legs. The family Mustelidae (which also includes badgers, otters, and wolverines) is often referred to as the ""weasel family"". In the UK, the term ""weasel"" usually refers to the smallest species, the least weasel (""M. nivalis""). Weasels vary in length from , females being smaller than the males, and usually have red or brown upper coats and white bellies;"
"Evolution of sirenians Sirenia is the order of placental mammals which comprises modern ""sea cows"" (manatees and the Dugong) and their extinct relatives. They are the only extant herbivorous marine mammals and the only group of herbivorous mammals to have become completely aquatic. Sirenians are thought to have a 50-million-year-old fossil record (early Eocene-recent). They attained modest diversity during the Oligocene and Miocene, but have since declined as a result of climatic cooling, oceanographic changes, and human interference. Two genera and four species are extant: ""Trichechus"", which includes the three species of manatee that live along the Atlantic coasts and"