sea otter

3 definitions found

sea otter - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Sea otter \Sea" ot"ter\ (Zool.)
     An aquatic carnivore (Enhydris lutris syn. Enhydris marina
     ) found in the North Pacific Ocean. Its fur is highly
     valued, especially by the Chinese. It is allied to the common
     otter, but is larger, with feet more decidedly webbed.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Sea-otter's cabbage (Bot.), a gigantic kelp of the Pacific
        Ocean (Nereocystis Lutkeana). See Nereocystis.
        [1913 Webster]

  Otter \Ot"ter\ ([o^]t"t[~e]r), n. [OE. oter, AS. otor; akin to
     D. & G. otter, Icel. otr, Dan. odder, Sw. utter, Lith. udra,
     Russ, vuidra, Gr. "y`dra water serpent, hydra, Skr. udra
     otter, and also to E. water. [root]137, 215. See Water, and
     cf. Hydra.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. (Zool.) Any carnivorous animal of the genera Lutra,
        Enhydra, and related genera of the family Mustelidae.
        Several species are described. They have large, flattish
        heads, short ears, and webbed toes. They are aquatic, and
        feed on fish. The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) also eats
        clams, crabs, starfish, abalone, and other marine animals;
        they may come to the surface, and lying on their backs
        using the stomach as a table, may be seen cracking open
        the shell of its prey with a rock. The common otter of
        Europe is Lutra vulgaris; the North American otter (or
        American otter) is Lutra Canadensis, which inhabits
        marshes, streams and rivers; other species inhabit South
        America and Asia. The North American otter adult is about
        three to four feet long (including the tail) and weighs
        from 10 to 30 pounds; the sea otter is commonly four feet
        long and 45 pounds (female) or 60 pounds (male). Their fur
        is soft and valuable, and in the nineteenth century they
        were hunted extensively. The sea otter was hunted to near
        extinction by 1900, and is now protected. Fewer than 3,000
        sea otters are believed to live along the central
        California coast.
        [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
     2. (Zool.) The larva of the ghost moth. It is very injurious
        to hop vines.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Otter hound, Otter dog (Zool.), a small breed of hounds,
        used in England for hunting otters; see otterhound .
  
     Otter sheep. See Ancon sheep, under Ancon.
  
     Otter shell (Zool.), very large bivalve mollusk
        (Schizothaerus Nuttallii) found on the northwest coast
        of America. It is excellent food, and is extensively used
        by the Indians.
  
     Sea otter. (Zool.) See in the Vocabulary.
        [1913 Webster]

sea otter - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  sea otter
      n 1: large marine otter of northern Pacific coasts having very
           thick dark brown fur [syn: sea otter, Enhydra lutris]