FIRST RECORD OF TWIN FETUSES OF SOUTH AMERICAN SEA LION IN THE SOUTHERN BRAZILIAN COAST
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4257/oeco.2022.2603.09Keywords:
Otaria flavescens, otariids, pinnipeds, pregnancy, twinningAbstract
We report the first known occurrence of South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens) twins for the South American coast. In January 2021 a female pregnant with dizygotic male and female fetuses was found dead in southern Brazil. The timing of the stranding event suggests that the pregnancy was near-term. However, the total body length and weight of fetuses suggested poor development and growth, which could be due to the advanced age of the mother and/or poor nutrition of the individual during pregnancy. The female fetus was larger and heavier than the male and could have been implanted and developed earlier.
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