Otter females are called bitches or sows, and their offspring are called pups. The collective nouns for otters are bevy, family, lodge, romp (being descriptive of their often playful nature) or, when in water, raft. The feces of otters are typically identified by their distinctive aroma, the smell of which has been described as ranging from freshly mown hay to putrefied fish; these are known as spraints. The gestation period in otters is about 60 to 86 days. The newborn pup is cared for by the bitch, dog and older offspring. Bitch otters reach sexual maturity at approximately two years of
Patagonia (mammal) Patagonia (mammal) Patagonia is an extinct genus of non-placental mammal from the Miocene of Argentina. Traditionally considered a metatherian "incertae sedis", more recent analysis have shown it to be a gondwanathere. It is the youngest allothere species known. Currently, a single species is known, "P. peregrina", hailing from the Colhuehuapian-dating deposits of the Sarmiento Formation, Chubut Province. The holotype, MACN-CH-869, is composed of a semi-complete mandible; isolated upper and lower teeth are also known. The jaw is short and deep, bearing an unfused subvertical dentary symphysis and dorsally positioned masseteric fossa. The incisors are rootless and extend lingually along the