What anatomical feature is primarily responsible for helping the walrus locate and extract prey from the seabed?
Answer
Highly sensitive mystacial vibrissae
The process of acquiring food from the ocean floor requires specialized sensory input, and for *Odobenus rosmarus*, this is achieved through their mystacial vibrissae, which are their highly sensitive whiskers. These structures act as sophisticated sensory tools, allowing the walrus to detect, probe, and manipulate benthic organisms embedded in the sediment. This contrasts sharply with the use of their tusks, which are exclusively employed as leverage tools to haul their bodies onto ice or rocks.
Related Questions
What is the literal meaning of the genus name *Odobenus* for the walrus?For what purpose are the prominent tusks of *Odobenus rosmarus* not used according to functional descriptions?Why do many modern researchers argue against grouping *Odobenidae* within *Phocidae* or *Otariidae*?Which locomotion characteristic shared with *Otariidae* enables the walrus to move effectively on land?How does the average weight of an Atlantic walrus male (*O. r. rosmarus*) compare to a Pacific walrus male (*O. r. divergens*)?What anatomical feature is primarily responsible for helping the walrus locate and extract prey from the seabed?What is the global conservation status assigned to the walrus by the IUCN Red List?Molecular data suggests the Pinnipedia parvorder descended from an ancestor related to which modern land mammal group?Belonging to the Class *Mammalia*, what are three general traits that characterize the walrus as part of this group?Why is the taxonomic status of the Laptev walrus (*Odobenus rosmarus laptevi*) currently subject to debate?