Question

Match the following animals with their associated disease. Manatees Toxoplasmosis V A Sea otters B. Otariid herpesvirus V Sea turtles Chelonid herpesvirus 5 C! Sea lions D. Sirenian papillomavirus

Answer 1

ANSWER:

ANIMALS	DISEASE
Manatees	Sirenian papillomavirus
Sea otters	Toxoplasmosis
Sea turtles	Chelonid herpesvirus 5
Sea lions	Otariid herpesvirus

REASON:

1. MANATEES:

• Manatees are marine mammals which belong to the order sirenia and the genus trichechus.
• They are the largest marine herbivores as they feed on aquatic plants like sea grass, floating hyacinth, turtle grass, hydrilla, marine algae, mangrove leaves, manatee grass, etc.
• They are also known as sea cows.
• Manatees have an egg shaped head and a flat tail.
• The manatees are affected by the Sirenian papillomavirus.
• This virus is so called because this virus primarily affects manatees and was first identified in florida manatees.
• Papillomavirus causes a benign tumor growth in the species, which are known as papillomas.
• This virus can be transmitted from one animal to another.
• Hence, if an animal gets affected by this virus, then it should be isolated so that the other manatees are safe.

2. SEA OTTERS:

• Sea otters are one of the smallest marine mammals.
• It feeds on snails, sea urchins, clams, etc.
• Sea are commonly affected by toxoplasmosis, which is caused by a protozoan called Toxoplasma gondii.
• The oocytes of this protozoan are present in the droppings of cat because cats are the only definitive host of this protozoan.
• When these droppings reach the ocean, they tend to contaminate the water and infect the sea otters.
• This protozoan causes brain infections like meningoencephalitis in sea otters which are fatal.
• Hence, these fatal infections are affecting the population of sea otters.

3. SEA TURTLES:

• Sea turtles are large marine reptiles belonging to the family Chelonioidea.
• They have large flippers and streamlined bodies.
• Females lay egg on the shore, in sand and not in water.
• Sea turtles are affected by Chelonid herpesvirus 5, which causes Fibropapillomatosis.
• This virus is also known as fibropapilloma associated marine turtle herpes virus.
• It is transmitted by turtle leeches, form one turtle to another.
• In fibropapillomatosis, there is formation of benign tumors which affects the normal functioning of turtles, leading to death.

4. SEA LIONS:

• Sea lions are pinnipeds belonging to the family Otariidae.
• Sea lions differ from seals because sea lions have large flippers with which they walk on land and also have visible ear flaps whereas seals have small flippers due to which they cannot walk but wriggle on land and also they lack ear flaps.
• Sea lions are affected by the Otariid herpesvirus.
• This virus causes lesions and oesophageal ulcers in the animal.
• It also causes urogenital carcinoma.