Re: Body Hair Loss in Aquatic Mammals

Phillip Bigelow (n8010095@cc.wwu.edu)
14 Oct 1995 14:10:53 -0700

pnich@globalone.net (Phil Nicholls) writes:

>The fact is that most species of aquatic mammals have NOT lost their
>body hair. Those that have lost body hair reduce heat loss by
>increasing their surface to volume ratio and/or have developed a
>thick layer of subcutaneous fat or blubber.

I hate to have to correct a fellow AAT skeptic, but we need to maintain
scientific accuracy, phil. :-)
Animals that have lost body hair, reduce heat loss by DECREASING their
surface area/volume ratio. (In other words, rounder bodies with respect to
greater volume).
<pb>