Seal

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## Background Knowledge

Seals are pinnipeds from the Pinnipedia guild; founded by bear-like mammal mains that decided to spend their evolution points into aquatic mobility and blubber. For mobility, pinnipeds specced into changing their paws to flippers. This is a huge sacrifice in terms of damage but gave them an enormous advantage in mobility in the water. The other major investment was diving abilities, the most important of which is their heavily reinforced respiratory system. Their lungs and trachea built with extra cartilage and muscle to ensure their respiratory system does not get damaged by the pressure of deep diving. They are also immune to the effect of Oxygen Toxicity and Decompression sickness. With these changes, pinniped players were able to bring the terror that is the bear build to a player base totally unfamiliar with the match-up. They were extremely successful and dominant, being able to expand to servers all throughout the game world. Customizations led to the division between Sea-lions and Seals. Although seals are C tier on average, there are some stand out members such as the Elephant Seal or the Leopard Seal.

# Evolution History:

One popular hypothesis suggested that pinnipeds are diphyletic (descended from two ancestral lines), with walruses and otariids sharing a recent common ancestor with bears and phocids sharing one with Musteloidea. However, morphological and molecular evidence support a monophyletic origin. A 2021 genetic study found that pinnipeds are more closely related to musteloids. Pinnipeds split from other caniforms 50 million years ago (mya) during the Eocene. Their evolutionary link to terrestrial mammals was unknown until the 2007 discovery of *Puijila* in early Miocene deposits in Nunavut, Canada. Like a modern otter, *Puijila* had a long tail, short limbs and webbed feet instead of flippers. However, its limbs and shoulders were more robust and *Puijila* likely had been a quadrupedal swimmer—retaining a form of aquatic locomotion that gave rise to the major swimming types employed by modern pinnipeds. The researchers who found *Puijila* placed it in a clade with *Potamotherium* (traditionally considered a mustelid) and *Enaliarctos*. Of the three, *Puijila* was the least specialized for aquatic life. The discovery of *Puijila* in a lake deposit suggests that pinniped evolution went through a freshwater transitional phase.
link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Enaliarctos\_mealsi.JPG|right|thumb|Fossil of *Enaliarctos*
*Enaliarctos*, a fossil species of late Oligocene/early Miocene (24–22 mya) California, closely resembled modern pinnipeds; it was adapted to an aquatic life with a flexible spine, and limbs modified into flippers. Its teeth were adapted for shearing (like terrestrial carnivorans), and it may have stayed near shore more often than its extant relatives. *Enaliarctos* was capable of swimming with both the fore-flippers and hind-flippers, but it may have been more specialized as a fore-flipper swimmer. One species, *Enaliarctos emlongi*, exhibited notable sexual dimorphism, suggesting that this physical characteristic may have been an important driver of pinniped evolution. A closer relative of extant pinnipeds was *Pteronarctos*, which lived in Oregon 19–15 mya. As in modern seals, *Pteroarctos* had an orbital wall that was not limited by certain facial bones (like the jugal or lacrimal bone), but was mostly shaped by the maxilla. The extinct family Desmatophocidae lived 23–10 mya in the North Atlantic and had elongated skulls, fairly large eyes, cheekbones connected by a mortised structure and rounded cheek teeth. They also were sexually dimorphic and may have been capable of propelling themselves with both the foreflippers and hindflippers. Their phylogeny and evolutionary relationship to other pinnipeds is poorly understood although it has been proposed that they may be closer to the otariids than the phocids.
link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Piscophoca.jpg|left|thumb|Fossil skull cast of *Piscophoca* sp. from Phocidae
The ancestors of the Otarioidea and Phocoidea diverged 33 mya. Phocids are known to have existed for at least 15 million years, and molecular evidence supports a divergence of the Monachinae and Phocinae lineages 22 mya. The fossil monachine *Monotherium* and phocine *Leptophoca* were found in southeastern North America. The deep split between the lineages of *Erignathus* and *Cystophora* 17 mya suggests that the phocines migrated eastward and northward from the North Atlantic. The genera *Phoca* and *Pusa* could have arisen when a phocine lineage traveled from the Paratethys Sea to the Arctic Basin and subsequently went eastward. The ancestor of the Baikal seal migrated into Lake Baikal from the Arctic (via the Siberian ice sheet) and became isolated there. The Caspian seal's ancestor became isolated as the Paratethys shrank, leaving the animal in a small remnant sea, the Caspian Sea. The monochines diversified southward. *Monachus* emerged in the Mediterranean and migrated to the Caribbean and then the central North Pacific. The two extant elephant seal species diverged close to 4 mya after the Panamanian isthmus was formed. The lobodontine lineage emerged around 9 mya and colonized the southern ocean in response to glaciation.
link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Archaeodobenus\_restoration.PNG|thumb|Reconstruction of *Archaeodobenus akamatsui* family Odobenidae
The lineages of Otariidae and Odobenidae split almost 28 mya. Otariids originated in the North Pacific. The earliest fossil *Pithanotaria*, found in California, is dated to 11 mya. The *Callorhinus* lineage split earlier at 16 mya. *Zalophus*, *Eumetopias* and *Otaria* diverged next, with the latter colonizing the coast of South America. Most of the other otariids diversified in the Southern Hemisphere. The earliest fossils of Odobenidae—*Prototaria* of Japan and *Proneotherium* of Oregon—date to 18–16 mya. These primitive walruses had much shorter canines and lived on a fish diet rather than a specialized mollusk diet like the modern walrus. Odobenids further diversified in the middle and late Miocene. Several species had enlarged upper and lower canines. The genera *Valenictus* and *Odobenus* developed elongated tusks. The lineage of the modern walrus may have spread from the North Pacific to the Caribbean (via the Central American Seaway) 8–5 mya and subsequently made it to the North Atlantic and returned to the North Pacific via the Arctic 1 mya. Alternatively, this lineage may have spread from the North Pacific to the Arctic and subsequently the North Atlantic during the Pleistocene.

**Seal**, Leopard Seal, Elephant Seal, Steller's Sea Lion, Sea Lion, and last but not least, the Walrus.

***The Great Bouncing***Current Builds:

## STAT EXPLANATION

### Intelligence

In a match-to-sample task study, a single California sea lion was able to demonstrate an understanding of symmetry, transitivity and equivalence; a second seal was unable to complete the tasks. They demonstrate the ability to understand simple syntax and commands when taught an artificial sign language, though they only rarely used the signs semantically or logically. In 2011, a captive California sea lion named Ronan was recorded bobbing its head in synchrony to musical rhythms. This "rhythmic entrainment" was previously seen only in humans, parrots and other birds possessing vocal mimicry. Adult male elephant seals appear to memorize both the rhythm and timbre of their rivals' calls. In 1971, a captive harbor seal named Hoover was trained to imitate human words, phrases and laughter.

For sea lions used in entertainment, trainers toss a ball at the animal so it may accidentally balance it or hold the ball on its nose, thereby gaining an understanding of the behavior desired. It may require a year to train a sea lion to perform a trick for the public. Its long-term memory allows it to perform a trick after at least three months of non-performance.

### Power

Don't underestimate the Power Stat of a Seal, as they can easily crack the armor of a Crustacean player.

## PLAYSTYLE

Pinnipeds have an amphibious lifestyle; they spend most of their lives in the water, but haul out to complete the main questline, molt, go AFK, thermoregulate or escape from aquatic predators. Several species are known to migrate from megaserver to megaserver, particularly in response to extreme environmental changes, like El Niño or changes in ice cover. Elephant seals stay at sea 8–10 months a year and migrate between breeding and molting sites. The northern elephant seal has one of the longest recorded migration distances for a mammal, at 18,000–21,000 km (11,000–13,000 mi). Phocids tend to migrate more than otariids. Traveling seals may use various features of their environment to reach their destination including geomagnetic fields, water and wind currents, the position of the sun and moon and the taste and temperature of the water.

Don't be afraid to dive into deeper waters & spec into stronger lungs, as the loot there is surprisingly good, & it can allow you to take Evolution Points out of stats like Power, as players deeper tend to have lower Health. When foraging, for example, the Weddell seal typically dives for less than 15 minutes to depths of around 400 m (1,300 ft) but can dive for as long as 73 minutes and to depths of up to 600 m (2,000 ft). Northern elephant seals commonly dive 350–650 m (1,150–2,130 ft) for as long as 20 minutes. They can also dive 1,500 m (4,900 ft) and for as long as 77 minutes. The dives of otariids tend to be shorter and less deep. They typically last 5–7 minutes with average depths to 30–45 m (98–148 ft). However, the New Zealand sea lion has been recorded diving to a maximum of 460 m (1,510 ft) and a duration of 12 minutes. Walruses do not often dive very deep, as they feed in shallow water. Pinnipeds have playthroughs averaging 25–30 in-game years.

### DIET

All pinnipeds are carnivorous and predatory. As a whole, they mostly feed on fish and cephalopods, followed by crustaceans and bivalves, and then zooplankton and endothermic ("warm-blooded") prey like sea birds. While most species are generalist and opportunistic feeders, a few are specialists. Examples include the crabeater seal, which primarily eats krill, the ringed seal, which eats mainly crustaceans, the Ross seal and southern elephant seal, which specialize on squid, and the bearded seal and walrus, which feed on clams and other bottom-dwelling invertebrates. Overall, you are required to spec into Power (to crack crustacean & bivalve armor) and/or Mobility (to catch fish & cephalopods).

Pinnipeds may hunt solitarily or cooperatively. The former behavior is typical when hunting non-schooling fish, slow-moving or immobile invertebrates or endothermic prey. Solitary foraging species usually exploit coastal waters, bays and rivers. An exception to this is the northern elephant seal, which feeds on fish at great depths in the open ocean. In addition, walruses feed solitarily but are often near other walruses in small or large groups that may surface and dive in unison. When large schools of fish or squid are available, pinnipeds such as certain otariids hunt cooperatively in large groups, locating and herding their prey. Some species, such as California and South American sea lions, may forage with cetaceans and sea birds.

Seals typically consume their prey underwater where it is swallowed whole. Prey that is too large or awkward is taken to the surface to be torn apart. The leopard seal, a prolific predator of penguins, is known to violently swing its prey back and forth until it is dead. The elaborately cusped teeth of filter-feeding species, such as crabeater seals, allow them to remove water before they swallow their planktonic food. The walrus is unique in that it consumes its prey by suction feeding, using its tongue to suck the meat of a bivalve out of the shell. While pinnipeds mostly hunt in the water, South American sea lions are known to chase down penguins on land. Some species may swallow stones or pebbles for reasons not understood. Though they can drink seawater, pinnipeds get most of their fluid intake from the food they eat.
link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fish8426\_-\_Flickr\_-\_NOAA\_Photo\_Library.jpg|right|thumb|Leopard seal capturing emperor penguin
Pinnipeds themselves are subject to predation. Most species are preyed on by the orca. To subdue and kill seals, orcas continuously ram them with their heads, slap them with their tails and fling them in the air. They are typically hunted by groups of 10 or fewer whales, but they are occasionally hunted by larger groups or by lone individuals. Pups are more commonly taken by orcas, but adults can be targeted as well. Large sharks are another major predator of pinnipeds—usually the great white shark but also the tiger shark and mako shark. Sharks usually attack by ambushing them from below. The prey usually escapes, and seals are often seen with shark-inflicted wounds. Otariids typically have injuries in the hindquarters, while phocids usually have injuries on the forequarters. Pinnipeds are also targeted by terrestrial and pagophilic predators. The polar bear is well adapted for hunting Arctic seals and walruses, particularly pups. Bears are known to use sit-and-wait tactics as well as active stalking and pursuit of prey on ice or water. Other terrestrial predators include cougars, brown hyenas and various species of canids, which mostly target the young.
link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Killer\_Whale\_Tipe\_B.jpg|left|thumb|Orca hunting a Weddell seal
Pinnipeds lessen the chance of predation by gathering in groups. Some species are capable of inflicting damaging wounds on their attackers with their sharp canines—an adult walrus is capable of killing polar bears. When out at sea, northern elephant seals dive out of the reach of surface-hunting orcas and white sharks. In the Antarctic, which lacks terrestrial predators, pinniped species spend more time on the ice than their Arctic counterparts. Arctic seals use more breathing holes per individual, appear more restless when hauled out, and rarely defecate on the ice. Ringed seals rely on their dens for protection.

Interspecific predation among pinnipeds does occur. The leopard seal is known to prey on numerous other species, especially the crabeater seal. Leopard seals typically target crabeater pups, which form an important part of their diet from November to January. Older crabeater seals commonly bear scars from failed leopard seal attacks; a 1977 study found that 75% of a sample of 85 individual crabeaters had these scars. Walruses, despite being specialized for feeding on bottom-dwelling invertebrates, occasionally prey on Arctic seals. They kill their prey with their long tusks and eat their blubber and skin. Steller sea lions have been recorded eating the pups of harbor seals, northern fur seals and California sea lions. New Zealand sea lions feed on pups of some fur seal species, and the South American sea lion may prey on South American fur seals.