Enhydra lutris
--------------
English: Sea otter
German: Seeotter
French: Loutre marine
Spanish: Lataz
Distribution areas
------------------
The sea otter is found on the coasts and
islands of the Northern Pacific, mainly in
Kurilen, Kamtchatka, Commodore island and
in the West coast of North America.
Description of the fur
---------------------- The cuticular structure
The skins are 120 to 150 cm long; the of the fine fibres, 1300x
coat is dense and of excellent durability.
The basic hair coloration is dark brown, the tips of the guard hairs on the
back are silver. The tail is about 30 to 35 cm long.
|
|
Enhydra lutris
--------------
English: Sea otter
German: Seeotter
French: Loutre marine
Spanish: Lataz
Structure of the hair
---------------------
The microscopic structure of the skin
surface is furrowed. The hair follicles are
wide with sunken edges. The majority of the
follicles contain a cluster of hairs. The
fine fur fibres are from 8 to 25 µm in
diameter. The cross-sectional outline is
circular at the bottom of the shaft but, in The cuticular structure
the middle and upper parts, it is of the fine fibres, 2000x
straight-sided or aster-like scales, but
predominant type of scales is the raised petal-like The scale surface is
smooth and the scale margins are straight. These fine fibres are
non-medullated.
|
|
Enhydra lutris
--------------
English: Sea otter
German: Seeotter
French: Loutre marine
Spanish: Lataz
The intermediate fibres are 35 to 65 µm
in diameter. The cross-section is circular
or elliptical, and the shafts are covered
by wavelike or comb-like scales with a
smooth surface and straight scale margins.
The guard hair are 65 to 105 µm in
diameter. The cross-sectional outline at
the bottom of the shaft is circular and, in The cuticular structure
the upper parts, elliptical. The overall of an intermediate hair, 2000x
shape of the cuticular scales is crenated,
tile-like. The scale surface is smooth, and the scale margins are rippled.
The medulla is narrow, unbroken and central-symmetrical-shaped in
cross-section. It is of the uniserial ladder type. The infilling medullar
structure is amorphous.
|
|
Enhydra lutris
--------------
English: Sea otter
German: Seeotter
French: Loutre marine
Spanish: Lataz
The cuticular structure
of a guard hair, 1000x
|
|
Enhydra lutris
--------------
English: Sea otter
German: Seeotter
French: Loutre marine
Spanish: Lataz
Transverse section
of an intermediate fibre, 1000x
Numerical code for sea otter skin structure
-------------------------------------------
Surface of the skin: 3-1-3
Fine fur fibres: 6.7-12.5-1-1-4-0-0-0-0-8.25-7.28
Intermediate fibres: 2.1-6.7-1-1-4-0-0-0-0-35.65-20.35
Guard hairs: 2.1-4-1-2-3-1-1-1-8-65.105-30.45
|
