Bearded Seal

Also known as Erignathus barbatus

species of mammal

AI overview

A bearded seal is a large marine mammal found in the Arctic and subarctic oceans, named for the distinctive long whiskers around its mouth. These seals are important members of Arctic ecosystems and are hunted by indigenous peoples for food and materials.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Species

Near Threatened

bearded seal

Species

PhylumChordata
ClassMammalia
OrderCarnivora
FamilyPhocidae

Habitatmarine

Observations764

Observations: The total gestation time includes a 2 months period of delayed implantation (Ronald Nowak 2003). The actual embryonic development takes about 8.5 months. In the wild, these animals have been reported to live up to 31 years (David Macdonald 1985). Their longevity in captivity has not been studied in detail and hence their maximum longevity must be classified as unknown.

via IUCN

Wikidata facts

Image: Bartrobbe 3-2002.jpg

Sources (2)

sabencia.net

Article

The bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus), also known as the square-flipper seal, is a medium-sized pinniped that is found in and near to the Arctic Ocean. It gets its generic name from two Greek words (eri and gnathos) that refer to its heavy jaw. The other part of its Linnaean name means bearded and refers to its most characteristic feature, the conspicuous and abundant whiskers. When dry, these whiskers curl elegantly, giving the bearded seal a "raffish" look.

Bearded seals are the largest northern phocid. They have been found to weigh as much as 300 kg (660 lb), with the females being the largest. However, male and female bearded seals are not very dimorphic.