Before the pup is ready to forage on its own, the mother abandons it, and it lives on its fat for weeks or months while it develops independence. The earliest known fossil earless seal is Noriphoca gaudini from the late Oligocene or earliest Miocene of Italy. Topic: Elephant Seal Elephant seals are large, oceangoing earless seals in the genus Mirounga. Phocids are more highly specialized for aquatic life than otariids, although they still return to dry land or pack ice in order to breed and give birth. genus Pagophilus, Pagophilus - harp seals. (sea lions and fur seals), Phocidae (true, or earless, seals), and Odobenidae (the walrus). The Inuit call the ringed seal 'nattiq' or 'netsik'. Measurements of the earless seal humerus (A) and femur (B) used in morphometric analysis exemplified by Erignathus barbatus (USNM 16116). Monk seals and elephant seals are believed to have first entered the Pacific through the open straits between North and South America, which closed only in the Pliocene. The earless seals or true seals are marine mammals of the family Phocidae, one of the three pinniped families. New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article The length of lactation in phocids ranges from 28 days in the northern elephant seal to just 3 to 5 days in the hooded seal. All true seals are members of the family Phocidae. Its skin is covered in small hairs, which are black (males) or brown to dark grey (females); the fur is paler on the belly, being close to white in males. The common seal, Phoca vitulina, displays a reproductive strategy similar to those of otariids in which the mother makes short foraging trips between nursing bouts. The earliest fossil phocids date from the mid-Miocene, 15 million years ago in the north Atlantic. any sirenian mammal of the genus Trichechus, occurring in tropical coastal waters of America, the Caribbean, and Africa: family Trichechidae. Pups will continue to nurse if given the opportunity, and "milk stealers" that suckle from unrelated, sleeping females are not uncommon; this often results in the death of the pup whose mother the milk was stolen from, as any single female can only produce enough milk to provision one pup. Elephant seals are large, oceangoing earless seals in the genus Mirounga. The earless seals or true seals are marine mammals of the family Phocidae, one of the three pinniped families. Earless seals comprise about 90 percent of the species of pinnipeds and are the only seals in the extreme polar regions (Riedman 1990). in the Antarctic (Riedman 1990). There are two species of elephant seals, named according to the hemisphere in which they are found. Image Editor Save Comp. Northern elephant seals ( M. angustirostris) are found in coastal waters around Canada and Mexico, while southern elephant seals ( M. leonina ) are found off the coast of New Zealand, South Africa, and Argentina. The earless seals, phocids or true seals are one of the three main groups of mammals within the seal lineage, Pinnipedia. Family Odobenidae (. One way of differentiating between the two main groups of seals is by the presence of the pinna, a small furry earflap (external ears), found on the otarids and missing from phocids. In addition to earless The true seals or earless seals are one of the three main groups of mammals within the seal suborder, Pinnipedia. Island in the Pacific Ocean near Kamchatka Peninsula. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. DSpace Repository Contribution to the comparative anatomy of the eared and earless seals (genera Zalophus and Phoca) Family Otariidae (eared seals) They swim by sideways movements of their bodies, using their hind-flippers to their fullest effect (McLaren 1984). However, the family Monachinae (the lobodonts plus Monachus and Mirounga is probably paraphyletic (Wozencraft 2005). It is also the smallest seal in the Arctic and is also known as the jar seal. Wozencraft, W. C. Order Carnivora. They have sleek, streamlined bodies. The post-weaning fast ranges from two weeks in the hooded seal to 9 to 12 weeks in the northern elephant seal. Genus Monachus. Seals, like all marine mammals, need time to develop the oxygen stores, swimming muscles, and neural pathways necessary for effective diving and foraging. Other early fossil phocids date from the mid-Miocene, 15 million years ago in the north Atlantic. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Phocids are referred to as "earless seals" because their ears are not easily seen, while otarids are referred to as "eared seals." Photo about Pusa is a genus of earless seals. The Antarctic fur seal, which breeds on islands between 45° S and 60° S, likely has a winter range that includes spending time close to the Antarctic ice. The male southern elephant seal is the largest seal. Taxonomy [ change | change source ] Family Phocidae Family Phocidae (true, or earless, seals) Main levels are biota, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species. Some species lack molars altogether. The family that harp seals are considered to be a part of is known as Phocidea or the earless seals due to the fact that they do not have true ears on their heads. Nov 5, 2019 - Earless Seals (Phocidae Family - True Seals) Example #12: The Genus Phoca. In addition to earless seals, other pinnipeds include walruses and eared seals (sea lions and fur seals). Tribe Monachini. Earless seal is the common name for any of the pinnipeds comprising the family Phocidae, characterized by the absence of a pinna (external part of ear, although there is a functional inner ear), a side-to-side swimming motion involving the hind-flippers and lower body, and hind-flippers that cannot be inverted forward under the body, making for slow and awkward motion on land. W. C. Wozencraft, "Order Carnivora," in D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder (eds. Likewise, the Phocinae subfamily (Erignathus, Cystophora, Halichoerus, and Phoca) is also monophyletic. Only earless seals live in the Antarctic and Arctic; there are no otariids living and breeding in the extreme polar regions (Riedman 1990). By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. island in the pacific ocean near kamchatka peninsula. Air is forced from the lungs during a dive and into the upper respiratory passages, where gases cannot easily be absorbed into the bloodstream. 14 species in 7 genera. (More recently, five species have been split off from Phoca, forming three additional genera.) True seals do not communicate by "barking" like otariids. In D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder, eds.. ), Art, Music, Literature, Sports and leisure, https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Earless_seal&oldid=1043663, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. Download all free or royalty-free photos and vectors. Earless seals live in the oceans of both hemispheres and are mostly confined to polar, sub-polar, and temperate climes, with the exception of the more tropical monk seals. Walruses generally are considered a separate family of pinnipeds, the Obobenidae, although sometimes they are included with the phocids (McKenna and Bell 1997). They are sometimes called crawling seals to distinguish them from the fur seals and sea lions of family Otariidae. The Mediterranean monk seal is an endangered species of earless seal and is believed to be the world's rarest pinniped species. The ringed seal has a plump body with a short snout and a small head and what makes this animal unique is that it is an earless seal. They are sometimes called crawling seals to distinguish them from the fur seals and sea lions of the family Otariidae. Earless seals are one of the three main groups of mammals within the taxonomic group Pinnipedia. The Phocidae can be divided into two sub-families: the Monachinae, with 2n = 34 chromosomes, consisting of the southern phocids, the southern and northern elephant seals and the monk seals; and the Phocinae, or northern seals, with 2n = 34 chromosomes (bearded seal, Erignatus barbatus, and hooded seal, Cystophora cristata) and … The two species, the northern elephant seal (M. angustirostris) and the southern elephant seal (M. leonina), were both hunted to the brink of extinction by the end of the 19th century, but the numbers have since recovered. In addition to the presence of the pinna, there are other obvious differences between otarids and phocids. They are the largest extant carnivorans. Dictionary entry overview: What does genus Phoca mean? Similar Photos See All. A number of earless seals have been commercially important for their hides or oil, such as the ringed seal, elephant seal, monk seals, and even pups of the harp seal. Because they must continue to burn fat reserves to supply their own metabolic needs while they are feeding their pups, phocid seals have an extremely thick, fat-rich milk that allows them to provide their pups with a large amount of energy in as small a period of time as possible. Otarids also swim using their long front flippers to move themselves through the water, while phocids swim by using their rear flippers and lower body in a side-to-side motion (Riedman 1990). There are also behavioral differences, including the breeding systems. (Pinnipedia is usually considered a suborder of the order Carnivora, but is sometimes considered a separate order or as a superfamily.) 270 to 275 in D. Macdonald. Pinnipeds are aquatic (mostly marine) mammals that are characterized by having both front and hind limbs in the form of flippers. The dental formula is: While otariids are known for speed and maneuverability in the water, phocids are known for efficient, economical movement. The nursing period is ended by the mother, who departs to the sea and leaves her pup at the breeding site. As a result of commercial exploitation, the elephant seal was nearly exterminated and monk sea populations were greatly depleted; the Caribbean monk seal may be extinct. Two subfamilies within this family are dispersed largely in the Northern Hemisphere (Phocinae) and the southern hemisphere (Monachinae), respectively. These aquatic families are referred to as pinnipeds. This allows most phocids to make long foraging trips to exploit prey resources that are far from land, whereas otariids are tied to rich upwelling zones close to their breeding sites. Seals also have been an important food source, both for native populations, such as Eskimos, and as part of both marine and terrestrial food chains (sharks, orcas, bears). Seal pups typically eat no food and drink no water during the fast, although some polar species have been observed to eat snow. McLaren, I. Phocidae. The Ladoga Ringed Sea l( Pusa hispida ladogensis), is a freshwater subspecies of the Ringed Seal (Pusa hispida) which are found entirely in … This combination of fasting with lactation is one of the most unusual and extraordinary behaviors displayed by the Phocidae, because it requires the mother seal to provide large amounts of energy to her pup at a time when she herself is taking in no food (and often, no water) to replenish her stores. The pup's diet is so high-calorie that the pup builds up a large store of fat. Instead, they communicate by slapping the water and grunting. The earless seals or true seals are marine mammals of the family Phocidae, one of the three pinniped families. - X7HNXP from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors. Family Phocidae (true, or earless, seals) 18 species in 10 genera. • GENUS PHOCA (noun) The noun GENUS PHOCA has 1 sense:. In the 1980s, phylogenetic analysis of the phocids lead to a few conclusions about the interrelatedness of the various genera. 15 species in 7 genera. Of the estimated 50 million pinnipeds in the world, roughly 90 percent are phocid seals, largely because of the 30 million or so crabeater seals (Lobodon sp.) ("Phoca - Wikipedia") Google search: "Phoca is a genus of the Earless Seals, within the family Phocidae. Family Phocidae (true, or earless, seals) 19 species in 10 genera. Elephant seals are large, oceangoing earless seals in the genus Mirounga. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/animal/earless-seal, pinniped: Classification and paleontology. Pinnipeds are aquatic (mostly marine) mammals that are characterized by having both front and hind limbs in the form of flippers. These characteristics distinguish phocids, also known as true seals or as crawling seals, from the eared seals (fur seals and sea lions) of the family Otariidae. This helps protect the seal from the bends. It now contains just 2 species, the Common Seal & the Spotted Seal (or Largha Seal). Pusa is a genus of earless seals. classification. Family Odobenidae. Family Otariidae (sea lions and fur seals) To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here: The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia: Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed. The physiological and behavioral adaptations that allow phocid pups to endure these remarkable fasts, which are among the longest for any mammal, remain an area of active study and research. Until recently, many researchers believed that phocids evolved separately from otariids and odobenids from otter-like animals, such as Potamotherium, which inhabited European fresh-water lakes. Taxonomy. 19 species in 10 genera. The two species, the northern elephant seal (M. angustirostris) and the southern elephant seal (M. leonina), were both hunted to the brink of extinction by the end of the 19th century, but their numbers have since recovered. All true seals are members of the family Phocidae / ˈfoʊsɪdiː /. A smooth layer of blubber lies underneath the skin, and phocids are able to divert blood-flow to this layer to help control their temperature. The two species, the northern elephant seal (M. angustirostris) and the southern elephant seal (M. leonina), were both hunted to the brink of extinction by the end of the 19th … Phocids have a reduced number of teeth compared with land-based members of the Carnivora, although they retain powerful canines. Phoca mean for all pinnipeds from a single ancestor, possibly Enaliarctos, closely... Aquatic ( mostly marine ) mammals earless seal genus are characterized by having both front hind. Or 'netsik ' 5, 2019 - earless seals are large, earless! 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