Pinnipedia

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Pinnipedia
Weddell seal Leptonychotes weddellii
Scientific classification
Kingdom Information
Domain	Eukaryota
Kingdom	Animalia
Subkingdom	Bilateria
Branch	Deuterostomia
Phylum Information
Phylum	Chordata
Sub-phylum	Vertebrata
Infraphylum	Gnathostomata
Class Information
Superclass	Tetrapoda
Class	Mammalia
Sub-class	Theriiformes
Infra-class	Holotheria
Order Information
Superorder	Preptotheria
Order	Carnivora
Sub-order	Pinnipedia
Family Information
Families	Odobenidae Otariidae Phocidae
Population statistics

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