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California Sea Lions
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California Sea Lions
Zalophus californianus
By: Daulette Mahgoub
Reproductive Strategies
- Males have about 16 female partners making them polygamous
- At breeding season, males will come ashore to the beaches first and battle with each other for territories.
- Ritualized fighting and being of large size is the key to reproductive success among male sea lions
- Copulation is initiated by female
- Gestation occurs at 11 to 12 months
- They do NOT practice artificial insemination.
Baby California Sea Lion
Conclusion
Geography and Ecosystem
- Both marine and terrestrial systems
- Along the west coast of North America and Mexico
- Around rocky beaches
- Often on man made piers
Males fighting for territory
-They are one of the only species that have strong cognitive skills that allow them to learn things very quickly.
- They live all on the coast of North America and Mexico.
- The males are polygamous when it comes to sexual reproduction.
-They external morphology that allows them to adapt to both marine and terrestrial environments.
- The Californian Sea Lion population in these ecosystems is estimated at about 237,000 to 244,000.
Pier 39 in San Francisco, CA
Zalophus californianus
Taxonomy
External Morphology
The name means "large crest" belonging to California
Interesting Adaptations
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Mammalia
Order Carnivora
Suborder Pinnipedia
Family Otariidae
Genus Zalophus
Species Californianus
- Males have a sagittal crest
- External ears
- Anterior and posterior flippers
- Sensory whiskers
- Closeable nostrils
- Have skeletal system of mammals but is modified for swimming
Characteristics
Taxonomical Correlation with Morphology
Male vs. Female Size
Behavioral Adaptations:
- Strong cognitive skills
- They mold themselves into the rocks in order to avoid predators.
Structural Adaptations:
- They gain most of their weight in blubber to conserve heat.
-Regulate their body temperature buy raising their flippers out of the water so their blood vessels can absorb and release heat into the environment.
Sexually Dimorphic
Advanced Cognitive Skills
More Structural Adaptations
- Their external ears give them better hearing.
- Their heart beats slower when they dive so they require less oxygen which allows them to stay under longer.
- Their streamline shape allows them to swim in the water quicker.
- Their flippers allow them to walk on land easily