Evolution

Taxonomy includes kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and Species (KPCOFGS). The branch of science concerned with classification: systematics. Sometimes it includes domain before Kingdom.

KPCOFGS of A sea Otter:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Many mustelids have a long tube-shaped body, short legs, and a strong, thick neck with a small head. All possess well-developed anal scent glands. The five digits on each foot are equipped with sharp nonretractile claws.

Subfamily: Lutrinae

Genus: Enhydra .

Species: E. lutris

The pelage is brown or reddish brown. The fur consists of two layers: a dark undercoat and longer, lighter-colored guard hairs, which trap a layer of air next to the skin to keep it dry. Sea otter fur is the densest of all mammals, with about 100,000 hairs per square centimeter.

Key evolutionary Changes

They have short legs, webbed feet for faster swimming, and a long, narrow body and flattened head for streamlined movement in the water. They also are much bigger than the evolutionary related groups, for example; the mink is 2ft on average and mostly on land whereas the otter is 4ft long on average and mostly in water, they look a lot alike but still very different in certain ways.

A sea otter's coat is very special. NWF | Ranger Rick. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2023, from https://rangerrick.org/zoobooks/a-sea-otters-coat-is-very-special/

Wikimedia Foundation. (2023, April 8). Sea otter. Wikipedia. Retrieved April 13, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_otter#Evolution

Pacific, A. of the. (n.d.). Southern Sea Otter. Online Learning Center | Aquarium of the Pacific. Retrieved April 13, 2023, from https://www.aquariumofpacific.org/onlinelearningcenter/species/southern_sea_otter

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