Growth in the Steller sea lion

Fiscus, C

A discontinuity (growth line) is formed annually in dentin and cementum of the teeth of Eumetopias jubata. In a sample of 59 individuals, the oldest male showed 19 growth lines, the oldest female 22. Maximum body length and girth were, for males, 325 and 229 cm, for females, 269 and 168 cm. On the evidence of 12 skull measurements, the growth rate tends to level off at about 8 years in females and 10 years in males. The basioccipital-basisphenoid suture closes at about age 4 in both sexes. A sagittal crest is strongly developed in the male. Baculum length and weight tend to increase with age; the largest specimen (length 196 mm, weight 55 g) was from a 16-year-old. Of 28 bacula, one had been broken and was partly knit. Of 49 skulls, 6 lacked (from birth) 1 or 2 molariform teeth.

Growth in the Steller sea lion

Series