Pinniped

Template:Taxobox begin Template:Taxobox image Template:Taxobox begin placement Template:Taxobox regnum entry Template:Taxobox phylum entry Template:Taxobox classis entry Template:Taxobox ordo entry Template:Taxobox subordo entry Template:Taxobox familia entry Template:Taxobox end placement Template:Taxobox section subdivision Otariidae
Phocidae
Odobenidae Template:Taxobox end Pinnipeds ("fin-foots", lit. "winged foots") are large marine mammals belonging to the Pinnipedia, an order (sometimes a suborder or superfamily, depending on the classification scheme) of the order Carnivora. The true seal, sea lion, fur seal and walrus are all pinnipeds.

Pinnipeds are typically sleek bodied and rather large. Their bodies are well-adapted to their aquatic habitat, in which they spend most of their lives. In place of hands, their forelimbs are large flippers (hence the name "fin-foots"), and their bodies narrow out into a tail. The smallest pinniped, the Galapagos Fur Seal weighs about 30 kg when full-grown and is 1.2 metres long; the largest, the male Southern Elephant Seal, is over 4 metres long and weighs up to 2,200 kg (4,850 lb, more than 2 tons). All pinnipeds are carnivorous, eating fish, shellfish, squid, and other marine creatures.

A sea lion relaxes in a zoo

Seals at the Melbourne Zoo

families

Pinnipedia currently has 3 identified families:

Seals (Phocidae)---which includes currently 13 genus, 19 species of seals.

Sea-lion (Otariidae)---includes sea-lions and fur seals. Otariidae contains 6 Genus, 12 species.

Walrus (Odobenidae)---includes only 1 Genus, 1 species, which is walrus.

Hybrids

A hybrid sealion from a cross between the California sealion (Zalophus californianus) and the South American sealion (Otaria byronia) has occurred. A genetically confirmed Harp seal x Hooded seal hybrid has occurred.

External links

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• U.S. NOAA information page about Pinnipeds