Pusa caspica
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English: Caspian seal
German: Kaspi-Ringelrobbe
French: Phoque de caspique
Spanish: Foca de caspico
Distribution areas
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The caspian seal can be found only in the
Caspian sea area.
Description of the fur
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The skins are from 120 to 140 cm long,
covered with a grey-brown coat. In the The surface structure
belly area the coat is lighter in colour. of the skin, 40x
The upper part of the hair coat in young
animals is distinctly silver-white. The underfur layer is darker in shade, and
about 4 to 8 mm thick.
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Pusa caspica
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English: Caspian seal
German: Kaspi-Ringelrobbe
French: Phoque de caspique
Spanish: Foca de caspico
Structure of the hair
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The microscopic structure of the skin
surface appears furrowed. The hair
follicles are narrow with straight edges.
On average, the follicle contains cluster
of the fibres.
The fine fur fibres are circular or The cuticular structure
elliptical in cross-sectional outline, and of the fine fibres, 2000x
are covered by cornet-like cuticular scales
at the bottom of the shaft but, in the middle and upper parts, the cuticular
scales are even, tile-like. The scale surface is covered by a regular
grooved pattern, and the scale margins are straight. These fine fibres are
non-medullated.
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Pusa caspica
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English: Caspian seal
German: Kaspi-Ringelrobbe
French: Phoque de caspique
Spanish: Foca de caspico
The intermediate fibres are elliptical
and flat-shaped in cross-sectional outline.
The diameter is in the range from 30 to 60
µm. The cuticular scales are even,
tile-like and the scale surface is smooth
with straight scale margins. The fibres are
not medullated.
The guard hairs are flat-shaped in cross The cuticular structure
-sectional outline, and are the larger of an intermediate hair, 1000x
diameter is between 60 and 130 µm. The
cuticular scales are even, tile-like at the bottom of the shaft but, in the
upper half of the shaft, they are crenated, tile-like in shape. The scale
surface is smooth and scale margins are straight. Also these fibres are
non-medullated.
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Pusa caspica
------------
English: Caspian seal
German: Kaspi-Ringelrobbe
French: Phoque de caspique
Spanish: Foca de caspico
The cuticular structure
of a guard hair, 600x
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Pusa caspica
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English: Caspian seal
German: Kaspi-Ringelrobbe
French: Phoque de caspique
Spanish: Foca de caspico
Longitudinal section
of a guard hair, 600x
Numerical code for caspian seal skin structure
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Surface of the skin: 3-4-3
Fine fur fibres: 1.2-5.2-2-1-4-0-0-0-0-8.18-5.12
Intermediate fibres: 2.3-2-1-1-4-0-0-0-0-30.61-10.18
Guard hairs: 3-3.2-1-1-4-0-0-0-0-60.131-14.22
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