Table 5. Differences in additional physiological parameters determined by circular vs. elliptical truncated cones.
| Physiological Estimate | Circular Cones | Elliptical Cones |
| Total Volume (L)* | 490.3±17.3 | 379.8±13.4 |
| Surface Area (SA; cm2) | 3773.4±93.2 | 3773.4±93.2 |
| SA:V* | 7.73±0.10 | 9.98±0.15 |
| Net Buoyancy (N)* | −57.3±5.0 | −76.2±5.7 |
| Calculated Density (g·mL −1 )* | 0.83±0.01 | 1.07±0.02 |
Mean ± SE total body volume, surface area, surface area-to-volume ratios, buoyant force, and calculated density in Weddell seals (N = 11). Surface area remains the same between circular and elliptical cones. Buoyancy was calculated following Webb et al. [9], and density was calculated using measured MT. Asterisk indicates a significant difference in estimated parameter using circular versus elliptical models (paired t-tests; all P<0.001).