marine mammal
English
editNoun
editmarine mammal (plural marine mammals)
- A mammal which lives partly or wholly in the ocean, or at least is heavily dependent on the ocean for its lifestyle; such as cetaceans, sirenians, seals, the sea otter or the polar bear.
- 1857 April, Philippe de Kerhallet, “The Atlantic Ocean”, in Edinburgh Review[1], volume CV, number CCXIV, page 371:
- The influence of the temperature of the Gulf-stream upon animal life in the ocean is very curious. The whale so sedulously shuns its warm waters, as almost to indicate their track by its absence ; while yet abundantly found on each side of it. The physical reasons are doubtless the same which prevent this great marine mammal from ever crossing the equator from one hemisphere to the other — a fact now well ascertained.
Synonyms
editHypernyms
editTranslations
editmammal living in seawater
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