How did the sea otter, a member of *Mustelidae*, modify the ancestral body plan for its marine environment?
Answer
Limbs adapted as flippers and acquiring incredibly dense pelt insulation
The sea otter exemplifies the phenotypic plasticity allowed by the ancestral weasel body plan, demonstrating adaptive radiation driven by specific selective pressures. In this marine specialist, the characteristic long body shape is retained, but the limbs have undergone significant modification, transforming into flippers optimized for swimming in cold waters. Furthermore, to survive the frigid marine environment, these mustelids developed an incredibly dense pelt specifically for insulation. This adaptation showcases stabilizing selection acting on the general shape combined with disruptive selection acting on appendages and specialized integumentary features.
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