ABSTRACT
Trichechus manatus latirostris
) (Figure 2), harbor seal (
Phoca vitulina
) (Figure 3), and bottlenose dolphin (
Tursiops truncatus
) (Figure 4) are used in this chapter to illustrate gross anatomy. These species were selected because of their availability and the knowledge base associated with them.* Gross anatomy of the sea otter (
Enhydra lutra
) is presented in Chapter 44 covering medical aspects of that species. Illustrations of the (A) external features, (B) superficial skeletal muscles, (C) relatively superficial viscera with skeletal landmarks, (D) circulation, body cavities, and some deeper viscera, and (E) skeleton are presented as five separate “layers” on the same page for each of the four species. These illustrations, based on dissections by one of the authors (S.A.R.), are of intact carcasses and thus help show the relative positions of organs in the live animals. The major lymph nodes are illustrated, but to simplify the illustrations, most are not labeled. The drawings represent size, shape, and position of organs in a healthy animal; the skeleton is accurately placed within the soft tissues and body outline. The scale of the drawings is the same for each species so that vertical lines can be used to compare features on all five; a photocopy onto a transparency would allow the reader to compare layers directly. Names of structures are labeled with three-letter abbreviations.** A brief figure legend helps the reader apply basic veterinary anatomical knowledge to the marine mammals illustrated. The style found in
Miller’s Anatomy of the Dog
(Evans, 1993) is followed as much as possible. Most technical terms follow the
Illustrated Veterinary Anatomical Nomenclature
by Schaller (1992). Recent comparative work on anatomy of marine mammals is found in Pabst et al. (1999),
Rommel and Reynolds (2000; in press), and Reynolds et al. (in press). Older but valuable anatomical works include Murie (1872; 1874), Schulte (1916), Howell (1930), Fraser (1952), Slijper (1962), Green (1972), St. Pierre (1974), Bonde et al. (1983), King (1983), and Herbert (1987).
