Molt Chronology of a Male Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

The complete replacement of degraded fur through shedding or molting is an important aspect of the life history of mammals that can have significant effects on their behavior (Dawson et al., 2000) and, ultimately, determine their individual fitness (Beltran et al., 2018a). In semi-aquatic animals, such as pinnipeds, additional selection pressures apply due to the increased thermal conductivity of their marine habitat. This fact practically separates phocid seals (family Phocidae) that inhabit both polar and non-polar environments from sea lions and fur seals (family Otariidae) that inhabit almost exclusively temperate and tropical environments (Beltran et al., 2018a). Furthermore, partly to offset some of the additional thermoregulatory costs associated with molting, some pinnipeds may move to warmer waters (Boily, 1995), while others may spend more time on land (Carlens et al., 2006). Within the Pinnipedia, members of the tribe Monachini (i.e., northern and southern elephant seals [Mirounga angustirostris & leonina], and monk seals [Monachus monachus and Neomonachus sp.]) hold a unique position as they are the only seals to shed their fur with large sheets of cornified epidermis (Ling, 1970). Information on the molting process is available for some Arctic seals (e.g., spotted seals [Phoca largha], ringed seals [Pusa hispida], bearded seals [Erignathus barbatus]) and is important for conservation and management purposes (Thometz et al., 2021). Despite its importance, however, molting is still poorly understood in many species (Beltran et al., 2018a), including the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus). © 2022. Aquatic Mammals. All Rights Reserved