Dirk-Martin Scheel, Graham J. Slater, Sergios-Orestis Kolokotronis, Charles W. Potter, David S. Rotstein, Kyriakos Tsangaras, Alex D. Greenwood, Kristofer M. Helgen
Zookeys
Figure 6.Ventral views of palates of a Monachus monachus b Neomonachus schauinslandi, and c Neomonachus tropicalis. The tooth row of Monachus is more crowded, likely as a result of the shorter rostrum, and this results in a more obliquely oriented set of post-canine teeth and the lack of a diastema between the upper canine and the first premolar. In Neomonachus, there is a distinct diastema between C1 and P1, and the post-canine teeth are arranged more linearly. The upper incisor arcade of Monachus is slightly parabolic due to the posterior placement of the lateral incisors, and the anterior premaxilla appears slightly curved. In Neomonachus, the incisor arcade is linear and the anterior premaxilla is straight.
Attribution: Latitia Kernalguen. A harem of 127 females is a prize that has to be earned. Where female Southern Elephant Seals (Mirounga leonina) provide all the parental care, they will only reproduce in the territory of the biggest males, the biggest fathers for their offspring. Females average 400 to 900kg, while males weigh up to 4 tons; Southern Elephant Seals show the largest sexual dimorphism among land breeding mammals. When a male challenges the head of a harem he needs to prove his strength at a great cost, resulting in a fascinating and captivating fight between the two giants.Winner: Behavioural and Physiological Ecology.BMC Ecology 2013, 13:6 doi:10.1186/1472-6785-13-6www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6785/13/6