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Age and sex differences in the timing of moult in the common seal, Phoca vitulina
Author(s) -
Thompson P.,
Rothery P.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of zoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1469-7998
pISSN - 0952-8369
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1987.tb05958.x
Subject(s) - moulting , phoca , biology , population , zoology , muda , demography , ecology , sociology , larva
This study followed the progress of the annual moult within a population of common seals in Orkney, Scotland. Moulting seals were seen over a three‐month period, from 7 June until 16 September. Yearlings were first to start moulting. Amongst older seals, females completed their moult an average of seven days earlier than immature males and 19 days earlier than mature males. Differences in the timing of moult appeared to be related to the age or reproductive status of the animals, and may be the result of differential changes in levels of the sex hormones.