Pinnipède

The Pinnipèdes formed formerly a sub-order of Mammifère S sailors including/understanding three families:

  1. the Otary S, or Otariidae , family also including/understanding the Sea lions. This family is characterized visually by a rectified body (when the animal is with ground), resting against her fin former, and by ears having a visible house.

  2. the Morse S, Odobenidae . This family is characterized visually by her big size and her imposing defenses. Only one species.
  3. the Seal S and sea elephants, or Phocidae . This family is characterized visually by a completely spread out body (when the animal is with ground). The former fins are indeed unable to carry the body. One notes also the absence of any auditive house, contrary to the otaries.

The traditional classification of Pinnipèdes was the following one:

Today, the sub-order of Pinnipèdes is regarded as exceeded, and the three families are rather gathered in the order of the carnivorous , more specifically in the Sub-order Caniformia , than they divide with other families, like the Canidés or the Ursidés .

Certain authors maintained the existence of Pinnipedia , but with the row of super-family within the sub-order of the Caniformia . A study of molecular biology of 2005 goes in this direction, by defending the assumption according to which Pinnipèdes go down well from a common ancestor who is clean for them (Taxon monophyletic), and that they do not divide with other families of Caniformia . This study dismisses the sometimes advanced assumption according to which the Phoques (phocidés) would be related with the Loutres, when other Pinnipèdes would be it rather with the Ours. The study slices in favor of the assumption according to which all Pinnipèdes would be well members of a Taxon monophyletic, especially related with the Ursidés, within the sub-order of the Caniformia .

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