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<div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font>&nbsp;</div><span clas ------=_Part_8379_26247181.1207693978763 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline Hello Randy, Time of year also helps rule out a Harbour Seal as pups of that species are born much later in the year than those of the Gery Seal, likely not until May, perhaps even June, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Ron Arsenault Memramcook, N.B. 2008/4/8, Randy Lauff <randy.lauff@gmail.com>: > > And the winner is... > > I should have thought to take a front-on picture, but I forgot about the > nostril shape being diagnostic (I forget which species has got what, but I > remember something now about the nostrils). > > So the skull is out of the beetle tank and washed. A palatal view (i.e. > looking up towards the palate) is at: > http://people.stfx.ca/rlauff/photos/greysealpup.jpg. Note the red arrow. > > According to Banfield's Mammals of Canada, "The dentition (of the Grey > Seal) is strong: the cheek teeth are mostly simple cones; the first tooth > behind the canines is pushed medially out of line, and there is a gap > between the fourth and fifth upper cheek teeth." > > The red arrow indicates the the first cheek tooth, which points medially > (towards the middle). However, there is no gap between the fourth and fifth > cheek teeth (these are counted from the front, so indicate the second last > and last cheek teeth) that is larger than the gap between any other pair of > cheek teeth, but this could be attributable to us seeing only the milk > dentition; perhaps the adult dentition better reflects this. > > Banfield says about the Harbour Seal, "...the posterior margin of the > palate is v-shaped; a bony nasal septum extends behind the palate." Neither > is true for this skull, but again, we're dealing with a pup here, which > complicates things. > > Laurie's comment below is also strong evidence for this skull being that > of a Grey Seal. > > So, unless we would expect to see strong changes in palate shape, nasal > septum exposure and first cheek tooth alignment, I'm happy to call this a > Grey Seal. > > Thanks for useful discussions and my friend Heather (and Moose, the dog) > for finding this specimen. > > Randy > ...in the boonies of Antigonish County > > > On 04/04/2008, Laurie Murison <gmwhale@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote: > > > > One other consideration is that this pup was found in the beginning of > > April. For a harbour seal that would be incredibly early for a pup with > > most females not pupping until mid to late May and early June. Any photos > > of the face head-on? > > > > Laurie Murison > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > *From:* James W. Wolford <jimwolford@eastlink.ca> > > *To:* NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca > > *Cc:* Don Bowen <BowenD@mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca> > > *Sent:* Friday, April 04, 2008 9:12 AM > > *Subject:* [NatureNS] re identification of young seal > > > > > > Thanks, Don! Cheers from Jim > > > > Begin forwarded message: > > > > *From: *"Bowen, Don" <BowenD@mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca> > > *Date: *April 3, 2008 10:42:20 AM ADT > > *To: *"James W. Wolford" <jimwolford@eastlink.ca> > > *Subject: **RE: [NatureNS] seal ID request* > > > > > > Somewhat difficult from this photo. But I'd bet from the colouration and > > size of the hind flippers that it is a young grey seal. > > Nostrils and teeth are more diagnostic. However if the attentive female > > was a harbour seal then it may well be a harbour seal pup. > > Difficult one. > > > > > > D > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: James W. Wolford [mailto:jimwolford@eastlink.ca<jimwolford@eastlink.ca> > > ] > > Sent: April 2, 2008 8:58 PM > > To: Bowen, Don > > Cc: zoelucas@greenhorsesociety.ca; Jim Wolford > > Subject: Fwd: [NatureNS] seal ID request > > > > > > Don and Zoe, can you please help with the identity of this small seal? > > Thanks from Jim et al. > > > > -- Ronald G. Arsenault Memramcook, N.B. ------=_Part_8379_26247181.1207693978763 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline <div>Hello Randy,</div> <div> </div> <div>Time of year also helps rule out a Harbour Seal as pups of that species are born much later in the year than those of the Gery Seal, likely not until May, perhaps even June, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.</div> <div> </div> <div>Ron Arsenault</div> <div>Memramcook, N.B.<br><br> </div> <div><span class="gmail_quote">2008/4/8, Randy Lauff <randy.lauff@gmail.com>:</span> <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid"> <div>And the winner is...</div> <div> </div> <div>I should have thought to take a front-on picture, but I forgot about the nostril shape being diagnostic (I forget which species has got what, but I remember something now about the nostrils).</div> <div> </div> <div>So the skull is out of the beetle tank and washed. A palatal view (i.e. looking up towards the palate) is at: http://people.stfx.ca/rlauff/photos/greysealpup.jpg. Note the red arrow.</div> <div> </div> <div>According to Banfield's Mammals of Canada, "The dentition (of the Grey Seal) is strong: the cheek teeth are mostly simple cones; the first tooth behind the canines is pushed medially out of line, and there is a gap between the fourth and fifth upper cheek teeth."</div> <div> </div> <div>The red arrow indicates the the first cheek tooth, which points medially (towards the middle). However, there is no gap between the fourth and fifth cheek teeth (these are counted from the front, so indicate the second last and last cheek teeth) that is larger than the gap between any other pair of cheek teeth, but this could be attributable to us seeing only the milk dentition; perhaps the adult dentition better reflects this.</div> <div> </div> <div>Banfield says about the Harbour Seal, "...the posterior margin of the palate is v-shaped; a bony nasal septum extends behind the palate." Neither is true for this skull, but again, we're dealing with a pup here, which complicates things.</div> <div> </div> <div>Laurie's comment below is also strong evidence for this skull being that of a Grey Seal.</div> <div> </div> <div>So, unless we would expect to see strong changes in palate shape, nasal septum exposure and first cheek tooth alignment, I'm happy to call this a Grey Seal.</div> <div> </div> <div>Thanks for useful discussions and my friend Heather (and Moose, the dog) for finding this specimen.</div> <div> </div> <div>Randy</div> <div>...in the boonies of Antigonish County<br><br> </div> <div><span class="e" id="q_1192eacf5ac7914c_1"> <div><span class="gmail_quote">On 04/04/2008, <b class="gmail_sendername">Laurie Murison</b> <gmwhale@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:</span> <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid"> <div style="WORD-WRAP: break-word" bgcolor="#ffffff"> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">One other consideration is that this pup was found in the beginning of April. For a harbour seal that would be incredibly early for a pup with most females not pupping until mid to late May and early June. Any photos of the face head-on?</font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div><span> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">Laurie Murison</font></div></span> <blockquote style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"><span> <div style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </div> <div style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial"><b>From:</b> James W. Wolford </div> </span> <div><span> <div style="FONT: 10pt arial"><b>To:</b> NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca </div> <div style="FONT: 10pt arial"><b>Cc:</b> Don Bowen </div> <div style="FONT: 10pt arial"><b>Sent:</b> Friday, April 04, 2008 9:12 AM</div> <div style="FONT: 10pt arial"><b>Subject:</b> [NatureNS] re identification of young seal</div> <div><br> </div>Thanks, Don! Cheers from Jim<br> <div><br> <div>Begin forwarded message:</div><br> <blockquote type="cite"> <div style="MARGIN: 0px"><font style="FONT: 12px Helvetica; COLOR: #000000" face="Helvetica" color="#000000" size="3"><b>From: </b></font><font style="FONT: 12px Helvetica" face="Helvetica" size="3">"Bowen, Don" <BowenD@mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca></font></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0px"><font style="FONT: 12px Helvetica; COLOR: #000000" face="Helvetica" color="#000000" size="3"><b>Date: </b></font><font style="FONT: 12px Helvetica" face="Helvetica" size="3">April 3, 2008 10:42:20 AM ADT</font></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0px"><font style="FONT: 12px Helvetica; COLOR: #000000" face="Helvetica" color="#000000" size="3"><b>To: </b></font><font style="FONT: 12px Helvetica" face="Helvetica" size="3">"James W. Wolford" <jimwolford@eastlink.ca></font></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0px"><font style="FONT: 12px Helvetica; COLOR: #000000" face="Helvetica" color="#000000" size="3"><b>Subject: </b></font><font style="FONT: 12px Helvetica" face="Helvetica" size="3"><b>RE: [NatureNS] seal ID request</b></font></div> <div style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><br> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0px">Somewhat difficult from this photo. But I'd bet from the colouration and</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0px">size of the hind flippers that it is a young grey seal.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0px">Nostrils and teeth are more diagnostic. However if the attentive female</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0px">was a harbour seal then it may well be a harbour seal pup.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0px">Difficult one.</div> <div style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><br> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0px">D</div> <div style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><br> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0px">-----Original Message-----</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0px">From: James W. Wolford [mailto:jimwolford@eastlink.ca]<span> </span></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0px">Sent: April 2, 2008 8:58 PM</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0px">To: Bowen, Don</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0px">Cc: zoelucas@greenhorsesociety.ca; Jim Wolford</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0px">Subject: Fwd: [NatureNS] seal ID request</div> <div style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><br> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0px">Don and Zoe, can you please help with the identity of this small seal?</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0px">Thanks from Jim et al.</div></blockquote></div></span></div></blockquote></div></blockquote></div></span></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Ronald G. Arsenault<br>Memramcook, N.B. ------=_Part_8379_26247181.1207693978763--
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