Consider the following animals 1). Sea cow 2). Sea horse 3). Sea lion Which of the above is/are mammal/mammals?

Sea cow (dugong or manatee, order Sirenia) and sea lion (eared seal, family Otariidae, order Carnivora) are both mammals. They breathe air with lungs, have hair, nurse their young, and are warm-blooded. Sea horse belongs to family Syngnathidae, a bony fish with gills and fins that lays eggs, so it is not a mammal despite its name. Correct answer: B (1 and 3 only).

• Statement 1 (Sea cow): Mammal. Dugongs and manatees are herbivorous marine mammals that suckle their calves. Steller's sea cow was hunted to extinction in the 18th century.
• Statement 2 (Sea horse): Not a mammal. It is a teleost fish. The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch, which is often mistaken for mammalian nursing.
• Statement 3 (Sea lion): Mammal. It is a pinniped that suckles its pups and gives birth on land or ice.

Concept: the 'sea' prefix or a horse-like name tells you nothing about classification. Classify by body plan and reproduction. This links to Biodiversity and Environment, and to the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, which treats marine mammals and fishes under different schedules and rules.

Trap: assuming 'sea horse' is a mammal because of its name, which leads aspirants to pick A or D.