Moult in the Mediterranean monk seal from Cap Blanc, western Sahara
At birth, the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is covered with dark lanugo. This is shed earlier and faster in females, so they complete the moult when they are significantly younger (64 days) than males (82 days). Moulted pups present a greyish dorsal and a white ventral pelage. Only the...
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ftjafricanj:oai:ojs.ajol.info:article/153440 2023-05-15T16:05:42+02:00 Moult in the Mediterranean monk seal from Cap Blanc, western Sahara Badosa, Enric Pastor, Teresa Gazo, Manel Aguilar, Alex 2017-03-20 application/pdf https://www.ajol.info/index.php/az/article/view/153440 eng eng NISC (Pty) Ltd https://www.ajol.info/index.php/az/article/view/153440/143032 https://www.ajol.info/index.php/az/article/view/153440 The copyright belongs to the Zoological Society of Southern Africa. African Zoology; Vol 41, No 2 (2006); 183-192 2224-073X 1562-7020 Mediterranean monk seal Monachus moult lanugo shedding pelage info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion Peer-reviewed Article 2017 ftjafricanj 2017-03-26T01:02:00Z At birth, the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is covered with dark lanugo. This is shed earlier and faster in females, so they complete the moult when they are significantly younger (64 days) than males (82 days). Moulted pups present a greyish dorsal and a white ventral pelage. Only the hair is shed in the first moult. In subsequent moults, the hairs are shed along with large sheets of cornified epidermis. A series of sequential stages were identified, which included a long pre-moult phase (brown pelage) and a post-moult phase (dull appearance). The shedding process lasted 15 days. It is different to that of the Hawaiian monk seal and elephant seals, as Mediterranean monk seals partly moult in the water. The intermoult period was close to one year except in females nursing a pup. Such females have longer intermoult periods and can even moult whilst still lactating. In males, the process of developing the mature pelage pattern of bulls is gradual. It involves at least two annual moults and can be completed by the age of 4 years.Key words: Mediterranean monk seal, Monachus, moult, lanugo, shedding, pelage. Article in Journal/Newspaper Elephant Seals AJOL - African Journals Online |
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Open Polar |
collection |
AJOL - African Journals Online |
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ftjafricanj |
language |
English |
topic |
Mediterranean monk seal Monachus moult lanugo shedding pelage |
spellingShingle |
Mediterranean monk seal Monachus moult lanugo shedding pelage Badosa, Enric Pastor, Teresa Gazo, Manel Aguilar, Alex Moult in the Mediterranean monk seal from Cap Blanc, western Sahara |
topic_facet |
Mediterranean monk seal Monachus moult lanugo shedding pelage |
description |
At birth, the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is covered with dark lanugo. This is shed earlier and faster in females, so they complete the moult when they are significantly younger (64 days) than males (82 days). Moulted pups present a greyish dorsal and a white ventral pelage. Only the hair is shed in the first moult. In subsequent moults, the hairs are shed along with large sheets of cornified epidermis. A series of sequential stages were identified, which included a long pre-moult phase (brown pelage) and a post-moult phase (dull appearance). The shedding process lasted 15 days. It is different to that of the Hawaiian monk seal and elephant seals, as Mediterranean monk seals partly moult in the water. The intermoult period was close to one year except in females nursing a pup. Such females have longer intermoult periods and can even moult whilst still lactating. In males, the process of developing the mature pelage pattern of bulls is gradual. It involves at least two annual moults and can be completed by the age of 4 years.Key words: Mediterranean monk seal, Monachus, moult, lanugo, shedding, pelage. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Badosa, Enric Pastor, Teresa Gazo, Manel Aguilar, Alex |
author_facet |
Badosa, Enric Pastor, Teresa Gazo, Manel Aguilar, Alex |
author_sort |
Badosa, Enric |
title |
Moult in the Mediterranean monk seal from Cap Blanc, western Sahara |
title_short |
Moult in the Mediterranean monk seal from Cap Blanc, western Sahara |
title_full |
Moult in the Mediterranean monk seal from Cap Blanc, western Sahara |
title_fullStr |
Moult in the Mediterranean monk seal from Cap Blanc, western Sahara |
title_full_unstemmed |
Moult in the Mediterranean monk seal from Cap Blanc, western Sahara |
title_sort |
moult in the mediterranean monk seal from cap blanc, western sahara |
publisher |
NISC (Pty) Ltd |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/az/article/view/153440 |
genre |
Elephant Seals |
genre_facet |
Elephant Seals |
op_source |
African Zoology; Vol 41, No 2 (2006); 183-192 2224-073X 1562-7020 |
op_relation |
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/az/article/view/153440/143032 https://www.ajol.info/index.php/az/article/view/153440 |
op_rights |
The copyright belongs to the Zoological Society of Southern Africa. |
_version_ |
1766401605353078784 |