An incidence of twinning in the sea otter (Enhydra lutris)
January 1, 1986
On 3 October 1984 at 0928 h (PST) near Pt. San Simeon, California (35°39’N, 121°11’W), we observed a female sea otter (Enhydra lutris) resting in a kelp bed (Macrocystis pyrifera) with a small pup on her chest; approximately 2 m away another small pup floated unattended in the kelp. The only other otters we saw in the area was a mated pair (adult male tending an adult female) resting about 20 m from the mother and pups. At 0929 h the mother swam to the unattended pup and placed it on her abdomen next to the other pup. We concluded that live birth of twin pups had occurred, an incident previously unrecorded for the species.
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 1986 |
|---|---|
| Title | An incidence of twinning in the sea otter (Enhydra lutris) |
| DOI | 10.1111/j.1748-7692.1986.tb00138.x |
| Authors | Ronald J. Jameson, James L. Bodkin |
| Publication Type | Article |
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Series Title | Marine Mammal Science |
| Index ID | 1007656 |
| Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
| USGS Organization | Western Ecological Research Center |