Pinnipedia refers to a suborder of the mammalian order Carnivora, comprising three families and thirty-four living species of semi-aquatic marine mammals, which include sea lions, fur seals, true seals and the walrus. Members of this group are also known as the fin-footed mammals and are characterized by clumsiness on land but great agility in the water.
Families[edit]
- Odobenidae; one species, found in the Arctic regions of North America. Characterized by large size and the presence of a pair of ivory tusks.
- Walrus, Odobenus rosmarus
- Otariidae; sea lions and fur seals, fifteen species. Characterized by presence of ears and ability to move about on land fairly-well, by moving the hind flippers from facing backward to facing forward. Generally use fur, rather than blubber, as a primary method of insulation. Swimming power comes mainly from the fore flippers.
- Genus Arctocephalus
- Antarctic fur seal, A. gazella
- Brown fur seal, A. pusillus
- Galápagos fur seal, A. galapagoensis
- Guadalupe fur seal, A. townsendi
- Juan Fernández fur seal, A. philippii
- New Zealand fur seal, A. forsteri
- South American fur seal, A. australis
- Subantarctic fur seal, A. tropicalis
- Genus Callorhinus
- Northern fur seal, C. ursinus
- Genus Eumetopias
- Steller sea lion, E. jubatus
- Genus Neophoca
- Australian sea lion, N. cinerea
- Genus Otaria
- South American sea lion, O. flavescens
- Genus Phocarctos
- New Zealand sea lion, P. hookeri
- Genus Zalophus
- California sea lion, Z. californianus
- Galápagos sea lion, Z. wollebaeki
- Phocidae; true seals, eighteen species. Characterized by lack of external ears and a "caterpillar" method of moving about on land. Use blubber, rather than fur, as primary insulation. Swimming power comes mainly from the hind flippers.
- Subfamily Monachinae
- Tribe Lobodontini
- Bearded seal, Erignathus barbatus
- Crabeater seal, Lobodon carcinophagus
- Hooded seal, Cystophora cristata
- Leopard seal, Hydrurga leptonyx
- Ross seal, Ommatophoca rossi
- Weddell seal, Leptonychotes weddellii
- Tribe Miroungini
- Northern elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
- Southern elephant seal, Mirounga leonina
- Tribe Monachini
- Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi
- Mediterranean monk seal, Monachus monachus
- Tribe Phocini
- Baikal seal, Pusa sibirica
- Caspian seal, Pusa caspica
- Gray seal, Halichoerus grypus
- Harbor seal, Phoca vitulina
- Harp seal, Pagophilus groenlandica
- Ribbon seal, Histriophoca fasciata
- Ringed seal, Pusa hispida
- Spotted seal or Larga seal, Phoca largha