Nature Atlas

How Nature Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme
Taxa

Arctocephalus

Mammal Genera

Arctocephalus is a genus of eared seals, family Otariidae, known as the fur seals, containing eight currently recognized extant species, though the exact count remains debated given limited molecular data, distributed across the Southern Hemisphere around subantarctic islands, the southern coasts of Africa and Australia, the Galapagos Islands and South American waters. Its name means bear head; like other otariids it has external ear flaps and can rotate its hind flippers forward to move on land, and it is distinguished from sea lions chiefly by a dense fur coat, which historically made it a target of commercial hunting.

Facts
Taxonomic Rank
Genus 1
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Arctocephalus
Taxonomic rank (Wikipedia confirms the entity; rank from slug/structure-wave classification)View the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.