| Sealamander | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Clade: | Neoreptiliomorpha |
| Order: | Amphibiasaura |
| Family: | Amphicaetidae |
| Genus: | Amphicaetus |
| Species: | A. parvoculus |
The sealamander (Amphicaetus parvoculus) is a large amphibious neoreptiliomorph native to South Alor. It is also known as the earless amphibiosaur.
Description[]
The sealamanders look similar to their ancestors, with an elongated, dark brown colored body, albeit having a shorter tail. They also look seal-like, with large flipper-like fore limbs and hind limbs connected to the tail. They are fairly large, reaching a length of 1.9 meters (6.2 feet) and weighing 32 kilograms (70 pounds) for males, while females reach 1.6 meters (5.2 feet) long and 19 kilograms (42 pounds) in weight. They have small, lidless eyes that are protected by a transparent nictitating membrane.
Behaviour[]
Sealamanders are nocturnal, spending most of their times hiding in burrows underwater at daylight. They are solitary, but are gregarious when hauled out and during the breeding season, though they do not form large groups. When they are not feeding, they tend to rest in large burrows with other sealamanders.
Diet[]
Sealamanders feeds on a wide variety of fish, though they predominantly feed on benthic species. They will eat whatever is available, including lobsters, squids, and stingrays. There was even a specimen reported to eat a juvenile kelp eel that was atleast 4 centimeters smaller. Cannibalism is rare in this species, though there was a case of an adult male cannibalising the infants of a female, and was cannibalised in return by the female. This means that males may engage in such behaviour potentially as a way of increasing reproductive success through access to easy prey without leaving prime territory.
Reproduction[]
Sealamanders mate from December to July, and then nest from August to October. They are ovoviviparous, meaning that they carry their eggs inside them before they hatch. Usually, two infants are born, but four infants are not uncommon. All parental care is provided by the female. During breeding, males don't provide parental care but they defend females against other males for mating. The infants leave the land to learn to swim at 14 weeks. Survival rates of sealamander infants are estimated to be 50%, though it may vary depending on location and conditions. Infants may starve due to difficulties in learning to feed, and this may be the main cause of infant's death. Cannibalism takes a percent of the cause of infant deaths.
Biology[]
Sealamanders has the largest recorded erythrocytes of any animal, measuring 100x50 μm.