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An incidence of twinning in the sea otter (Enhydra lutris)

Ronald J. Jameson·James L. Bodkin
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Abstract

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.

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Marine Mammal ScienceArticle
90° N90° S · 180° W ← longitude → 180° E
Source-reported bounding extent: 35.49813313935565° to 35.632744348010625° latitude; -121.27601623535156° to -121.11946105957031° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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BibTeXRIS

Ronald J. Jameson, James L. Bodkin. 2006-08-26. An incidence of twinning in the sea otter (Enhydra lutris). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-7692.1986.tb00138.x

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