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Crabeater Seal

Mammals

The crabeater seal, also called the krill-eater seal, is a true seal with a circumpolar distribution around the Antarctic coast and the sole member of the genus Lobodon. Medium to large in size, slender and pale in color, it rests, mates and hunts primarily from the free-floating pack ice that seasonally extends out from Antarctica, and it is by far the most abundant seal species in the world, with population estimates ranging from at least 7 million to as many as 75 million individuals. Its success rests on finely lobed, sieve-like teeth specialized for filtering the Antarctic krill that make up almost its entire diet. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Classification
Diet
Filter Feeder 1
System (Realm)
Marine 2
Relationship to People
Hunted or Fished 3
Living or Extinct
Yes 4
Scientific Name
Lobodon carcinophaga 4
Conservation Status
Least Concern 6
Comparison
CITES Appendix
Not Listed 5
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Phocidae, Taxa
Source Wikidata: Lobodon

In Biome

Sea Ice, Biomes
Source Crabeater seal (Wikipedia)

In Ecosystem

Antarctic Peninsula, Ecosystems
Source Wikidata: Southern Elephant Seal
Additional Source Antarctic Peninsula (Wikipedia)Article text
Ross Sea, Ecosystems
Source Wikidata: Antarctic Krill
Additional Source Ross Sea (Wikipedia)Article text
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Argentina

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Australia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Brazil

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

New Zealand

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

South Africa

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

South America

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Uruguay

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. Crabeater seal (Wikipedia)
In Biome: Sea Ice, Lead section
Quote, In Biome: Sea Ice, Lead section
They are medium- to large-sized (over 2 m (6.6 ft) in length), relatively slender and pale-colored, found primarily on the free-floating pack ice that extends seasonally out from the Antarctic coast, which they use as a platform for resting, mating, social aggregation and accessing their prey.
View the Source
2. GBIF Species API
GBIF Species APIView the Source
3. SeaLifeBase: Lobodon carcinophaga summary
SeaLifeBaseHuman uses
Quote, Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
View the Source
4. Wikidata: Lobodon
Wikidata
  • Statements section, conservation status (P141)
    IUCN Red List conservation status (Wikidata property P141): least concern.
  • Wikidata Q626027 (P225 taxon name)
  • Child Taxon Of: Phocidae, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
View the Source
5. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Lobodon carcinophaga (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyConservation Status: CITES
Quote, Conservation Status: CITES
CITES No special status
View the Source
6. Wikipedia: Crabeater seal
WikipediaInfobox: status
Quote, Infobox: status
LC
View the Source
Ross Sea (Wikipedia)
In Ecosystem: Ross Sea, Article text
Quote, In Ecosystem: Ross Sea, Article text
Marine mammals in the Ross Sea include the Antarctic minke whale, killer whale, Weddell seal, crabeater seal, and leopard seal.
View the Source
Antarctic Peninsula (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIn Ecosystem: Antarctic Peninsula, Article text
Quote, In Ecosystem: Antarctic Peninsula, Article text
The crabeater seal spends most of its life in the same waters feeding on krill.
View the Source
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