Puijila+Darwini+-+Beccy+Tait

= **Puijila Darwini.** =

__http://designeranimals2011.wikispaces.com/Leopard+Seal+-+Beccy+Tait__ http://designeranimals2011.wikispaces.com/Future+Seal+by+Beccy+Tait+
 * Back to the modern seal:**
 * Back to the future seal:**

Puijila meaning: Small Seal (in Inuit language)

Darwini meaning: Named after Charles Darwin


 * Kingdom:** Animalia
 * Phylum:** Chordata
 * Class:** Mammalia
 * Order:** Carnivora
 * Suborder:** Pinnipedia
 * Family:** Unknown.
 * Genus:** Puijila

Puijila Darwini lived around the Miocene period, about 21 to 24 million years ago. Unlike their descendants, the Puijila could walk on land. They had webbed feet, allowing them to swim through the water and walk on land with ease. They were about 110 centimeters long, and weighed around about 14 - 50 kilograms. They would have resembled the common Sea Otter.

The Puijila represents the prominent link in early Pinniped evolution. Its fossil demonstrates the possible presence of webbed feet, strong forelimbs and a tail. This suggests that Puijila swam using its webbed feet, rather than the modern seals, which use mainly their tails. Phylogenetic studies suggest a relationship between Pinnipeds (seals) and Ursoids ( bears ), as well as Musteloids ( [|weasels] and otters). The discovery of the Puijila Darwini was only recent (2007) and has thus provided the missing link between all four species.

//-Adaption 1 - Low-light Eye Capability:// Just like their descendants, the Puijila Darwini had impeccable low-light vision. Although whether they had both Rods and Cones is still unknown, it is still assumed that the powerful Rods adaption came from the Puijila Darwini. The Arctic (where their fossils are found) can be sent into 24-hour periods of darkness. During this time, the Puijila would still need to hunt. The ability to see in low light situations would have arisen due to these long days. Other than helping it hunt on land, the eyes also helped them to see well under water, where it spent some of it’s time. Without this adaption, the Puijila would have died out long before it did. Without the ability to see it’s prey, and it’s predators. It would have been open for an attack, and unable to catch any prey of it’s own.

-Adaption 2 - //Flat, webbed feet.// The Puijila Darwini, unlike today’s seals, had legs and webbed feet. This enabled it to hunt on the water and on land. They may have adapted the ability to come to land in order to escape its predators from the sea. It may have kept the ability to swim because its preferred diet was in the water, mainly being fish and small squid. Although flippers were not present in the Puijila Darwini fossils, it is theorized that this animal was beginning the development of flippers. The webbed feet also allowed the animal to live a semi-aquatic life. This adaption probably came about from the amount of time the animal spent in the water. It’s prey, possibly small fish and squid, would have been quite fast. To catch it’s prey, it would need to be fast. The webbed feet allowed it to be fast enough to catch it’s victim. Without this adaption, it would be a lot slower, therefore enabling it to be caught by it’s predators and die out faster.

-Adaption 3 - //Sharp Claws// The Puijila Darwini, like many otters today, had sharp claws on their feet. This adaption could have possibly come about because of the prey it caught. Because the Puijila Darwini were semi-aquatic, their prey margin would have been quite wide. Judging by the need for claws, their prey would have possibly been quite fast. Having a need for claws could mean that in order to catch their fast prey, they would have to latch onto them with their claws. This adaption was probably formed from the need to catch their prey. Claws could also be the cause of several predators. Their claws could have been used as a defense mechanism. Without this ability, they would have to settle for slower animals. It could also have allowed them to be captured a lot easier, causing them to become extinct earlier.

-Adaption 4 - //Whiskers// Whiskers were also present in the Puijila Darwini. This is probably where the whiskers in the modern day Leopard Seal came from. The Puijila Darwini lived in Canadan lakes and rivers. These rivers would be filled with fish and shellfish. The Puijila Darwini would need to find these animals in order to live. This is made easier with the help of sensory whiskers. Without these sensory whiskers, the Puijila Darwini would have to be able to see it’s prey, before attacking it, allowing the possibility of it’s prey to escape to be quite large. It would also allow predators to get close and even kill it without it realizing that there was any danger. The sensory whiskers would have developed because of the dark waters of the Arctic and Canada.

-Adaption 5 - //Tail// Unlike the Seals of today, the Puijila Darwini did not use their tails as propulsion through the water. They used their two webbed forefeet and two hind feet to swim. They would mainly use their tail as a rudder. This allowed them to make split second course changes. This could be useful whether evading a predator, or catching a fast moving prey. They hunted on land more than in water and they usually stayed on land to hunt since swimming was not their best ability. If they did not have this tail, they would be a lot less agile in the water, causing them to be easier prey.

//-Environment// Puijila Darwini hunted on land and in the water on lake dwelling and freshwater animals. Based on the stomach contents that were in the found skeletons, it seems to contain the remains of small rodents and a duck.

The Puijila lived around lakes, and probably along rivers and in coastline areas as well. During the Miocene Period, the Arctic was a lot warmer than it is today. The Crater Lake, that preserved Puijila, was surrounded by mixed dense forests.



The fossils of the Puijila Darwini was found on Devon Island in the Haughton Crater. This large area was supposedly filled with lush greenery with forests and lakes. Scientists believe that this is possibly where most Puijila Darwini lived, or in very similar places. The Puijila Darwini would have to be able to adapt very quickly with the changing temperatures on Devon Island, Canada. Temperatures during the brief (40 to 55 days) summer season rarely exceed 10 °C, and in winter the temperature would plunge down as low as −50 °C. Because of the Geological positioning, Devon Island received very little precipitation.

There were many animals that used to live in this northern island of Canada. Since the Crater crash, all animals have either been killed in the area, or have migrated north to the North Pole, or south to the rest of Canada, and even America.



The main animals in this area were bears, such as the Polar Bear, foxes, such as the [|Arctic Fox] and small reptiles, such as the Prairie Rattlesnake. During this time, there were many larger animals that preyed on the small Puijila Darwini. These Predators lived in both the water, and on land. Crocodiles, and Lynx’s are just a few of the animals that could have hunted the Puijila Darwini. The changes in the weather for Devon island suggests that the Puijila Darwini may have retreated to the water for summer, but gone on land to find shelter during the winter months. Scientists have not been able to justify as to whether it’s young here born in the water or on land. But if by looking at the modern Seals, Weasels and Bears, it can be assumed that it gave live birth on land.



The Puijila Darwini had many predators in the water. They were also not very capable swimmers. This may have caused them to move to the land. This selection method was good because it enabled them to escape the predators of the sea, although it had it’s negatives. There weren’t that many animals on Devon Island for the Puijila Darwini to feed on in the Miocene period. This caused the rapid decline, and then, ultimately, the extinction of the Puijila Darwini. This lack of food on land could also have spurred the very low amount of time that modern day Leopard seals spend on land.
 * Selection Pressure.**


 * Bibliography**
 * -**"Puijila Darwini." //Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia//. Web. 23 June 2011. < [|__http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puijila__] >.


 * -**"Seals - Wildlife of Antarctica - Antarctic Connection." //Antarctic Connection -//. Web. 23 June 2011. < [|__http://www.antarcticconnection.com/antarctic/wildlife/seals/index.shtml__] >.


 * -**Yong, Ed. "Puijila, the Walking Seal." //ScienceBlogs//. Web. 23 June 2011. < [|__http://scienceblogs.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/puijila_the_walking_seal_beautiful_transitional_fossil.php__] >.