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WoRMS taxon details
Phoca vitulina Linnaeus, 1758
AphiaID: 137084
AphiaID: 137084
| Classification: Biota > Animalia (Kingdom) > Chordata (Phylum) > Vertebrata (Subphylum) > Gnathostomata (Superclass) > Tetrapoda (Superclass) > Mammalia (Class) > Theria (Subclass) > Carnivora (Order) > Caniformia (Suborder) > Pinnipedia (Infraorder) > Phocidae (Family) > Phoca (Genus) |
| Status | accepted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Record status | Checked by Taxonomic Editor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank | Species | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Phoca Linnaeus, 1758 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sources |
original description: Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentius Salvius: Holmiae. ii, 824 pp. (look up in IMIS) page(s): 38 [details] basis of record: Mead, J. G. and R. L. Brownell, Jr. (2005). Cetacea. Pages 723--743 in Wilson, D.E. & D.M. Reeder (eds). Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed), Johns Hopkins University Press, 2,142 pp., available online at http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/ [details] additional source: van der Land, J. (2001). Tetrapoda, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 375-376 (look up in IMIS) [details] additional source: Grand Manan Whale and Seabird Research Station., available online at http://www.gmwsrs.org/main.htm [details] additional source: Linkletter, L.E. 1977. A checklist of marine fauna and flora of the Bay of Fundy. Huntsman Marine Laboratory, St. Andrews, N.B. 68 p. [details] additional source: Thomas, M.L.H. (ed.). 1983. Marine and coastal systems of the Quoddy Region, New Brunswick. Canadian Special Publication of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 64. 306 p. [details] additional source: Waring, G.T., J.M. Quintal and C.P. Fairfield (eds.). 2002. U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico marine mammal dtock assessments, 2002. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS- NE- 169. 318 p. [details] additional source: Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (eds.). 1993. Mammal species of the world. Smithsonian Institution Press., available online at http://vertebrates.si.edu/mammals/msw/ [details] additional source: Muller, Y. (2004). Faune et flore du littoral du Nord, du Pas-de-Calais et de la Belgique: inventaire. [Coastal fauna and flora of the Nord, Pas-de-Calais and Belgium: inventory]. Commission Régionale de Biologie Région Nord Pas-de-Calais: France. 307 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vernacular Names |
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| Direct child taxa | Subspecies Phoca vitulina mellonae Doutt, 1942 Subspecies Phoca vitulina richardii Gray, 1864 Subspecies Phoca vitulina vitulina Linnaeus, 1758 Subspecies Phoca vitulina concolor De Kay, 1842 (unaccepted) Subspecies Phoca vitulina stejnegeri J.A. Allen, 1902 (unaccepted) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Environment | marine, brackish, fresh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distribution | Bay of the Wash [details] Belgian Exclusive Economic Zone [details] Blankenberge [details] Bredene [details] De Haan [details] Delta area [details] European waters (ERMS scope) [details] Flemish Banks [details] Gulf of Maine [details] Knokke [details] Koksijde [details] Middelkerke [details] Nieuwpoort [details] North Coast of France [details] North West Atlantic [details] Northern Hemisphere [details] Oostende [details] Wadden Sea [details] Wenduine [details] Westende [details] Wimereux (not certain) [details] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Links | To GenBank Marine Life Information Network - UK To Marine Species Identification Portal To Barcode of Life (5 barcodes) To ITIS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notes |
Biology: Harbour seals are good swimmers. The pinipeds serve as rudder. The body and back pinnipeds cause propulsion. The seal is highly adapted to speed with its torpedo-like body and pinna. Observations made from ships revealed that they generally swim just 10 m beneath the water surface and that only rarely will they hunt under –20 m. Young harbour seals are born on tide-sandbanks between the end of June and mid July, and are required, almost immediately (during high-tide) to be able to swim.
Diet: Fish, crustaceans, squid [details] Dimensions: Length: 170 cm (5'6"); Weight: 155kg (250 lb) [details] Distribution: North America [details] Habitat: temperate to polar [details] Habitat: nearshore waters of the Atlantic Ocean and adjoining seas above about 30 degrees latitude [details] Importance: They are considered pests to most fishing practices, especially herring weirs and Atlantic Salmon aquaculture sites. [details] Morphology: Distinguishing Characteristics: small in size in relation to seals, dog-like face, v-shaped nostrils, colour varies from white to tan to dark brown to red (molttled): [details] Morphology: Harbour seals can reach up to 1.6 m in length and weigh about 120 kilos. Their colour varies from grey to brown with black marks. A characteristic feature is their V-shaped nostrils. [details] Reproduction: Pupping: May-June on rocky ledges. Precocious, swimming shortly after birth; Weaning: ~ 1 month [details] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Citation: Berta, A.; Churchill, M. (2010). Phoca vitulina Linnaeus, 1758. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=137084 on 2010-09-02 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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