O Sealion it is a mammal marine belonging to the order Carnivora and suborder Pinnipedia. It is an animal that stands out for, unlike seals, having obvious external ears and being able to move its hind flippers forward.
This animal has a robust body, and the males have a kind of mane. An adult individual can weigh about 300 kg, depending on the species. The southern sea lion is the species of sea lion that can be found in Brazil.
Know more: Blue Whale — the mammal aquatic which is the largest animal in the world
Topics of this article
- 1 - Summary about the sea lion
- 2 - Pinnipeds and the relationship with the sea lion
- 3 - General aspects of the sea lion
- 4 - Southern sea lion
- 5 - How does the sea lion differ from the seal?
Summary about the sea lion
Sea lions are part of the Otariidae family and have as a striking feature the presence of obvious external ears and the use of forelimbs during terrestrial locomotion.
Males have a mane, hence the popular name of these animals.
They also receive this name because they emit a noise similar to the roar of a lion.
They have a robust body. Its snout is wide and flat.
The southern sea lion (otaria flavescenes) is a species of sea lion that can be observed in the Brazil.
Sea lions differ from seals in that they lack an external ear, have a short neck, and move by arching their bodies.
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Pinnipeds and the relationship with the sea lion
The sea lion is part of the suborder Pinnipedia, the same suborder that includes walruses and seals. This group of animals has a remarkable characteristic of living in two environments, living some periods in an aquatic environment and others in solid substrate, such as rocks and ice. Pinnipeds return to solid substrate to reproduce, shed, or rest. The aquatic environment is where they usually feed.
Pinnipeds can be found from the poles to the tropics. Its about carnivorous animals predators, which feed mainly on fish and squid. It is worth mentioning, however, that the diet of these animals varies according to the place where they live and the species studied.
Most pinnipeds are found in environments of water cold.To survive in these environments, they rely on a thick layer of fat under their skin. The fur of these animals also helps with temperature control.
Pinnipeds are divided into three families:
the Phocidae family includes elephant seals and seals;
in the family Odobenidae there are walruses;
The Otariidae family includes fur seals and sea lions.
In this last family, there are what we call eared pinnipeds.
Only the families Otariidae and Phocidae have representatives that are observed in Brazil, however, there are no reproductive colonies of pinnipeds in our territory.
Read too:Otter — another semi-aquatic carnivorous mammal
General aspects of the sea lion
The sea lion is a aquatic mammal belonging à family Otariidae. Otarids stand out for being less tolerant of cold, depending heavily on the layer of fat on their body and their coat for heat maintenance. Other important characteristics of these animals are:
obvious external ears;
long neck;
external testes in males;
robust body;
broad, flat muzzle;
elongated anterior fins showing rudimentary nails;
Hind limbs with normally developing nails.
With regard to locomotion,
in the aquatic environment, these animals move using the anterior fins to propel themselves, and the posterior ones are used to direct the swim;
on solid substrate, these animals move on quadrupeds, which ensures rapid movement.
Quadrupedal movement is possible as, unlike seals, sea lions are able to move their hind flippers forward. In addition, its front flippers rotate backwards, promoting weight bearing and keeping its head upright.
the sea lions they are so named because they are able to emit a sound reminiscent of a lion's roar.. In addition, the males have a mane around the face that resembles those presented by the famous African mammals.
See too: Dolphin - other carnivorous aquatic mammal
southern sea lion
The southern sea lion (otaria flavescenes) is species of sea lion that can be seen in Brazil. The species is found grouping in rocky places and is distributed along the coastal region of both margins of the South America.
The males of the species perform seasonal movements, remaining during the winter in warmer regions, such as Brazil, where they feed and rest, and in the summer they migrate to colder areas, where the reproduction colonies are located, where the females are. Along the entire Brazilian coast, there are only two places where these sea lions take refuge, both in the Rio Grande do Sul.
O southern sea lion is a large mammal, with males weighing up to 350 kg and reaching about 2.8 m. Females are smaller and can reach around 140 kg and 2.2 m. This species has a slightly flattened snout and its fur is dark brown.
These animals feed on different prey, such as:
fish;
crustaceans;
molluscs (like squid and octopuses).
Some fish consumed by sea lions are captured by fishermen, which generates competition between these animals and humans. The interaction with the fishing activity can be harmful for the sea lion, since this can be killed by accidental capture or even on purpose. It can live for about 20 years and has killer whales as its main predators.
A curious fact about this animal is that it ingest stones. One of the theories for this behavior is that ingestion serves to control buoyancy.
How is the sea lion different from the seal?
To the seals and sea lions are animals that are part of the group of pinnipeds. Despite having some similarities, these animals can be easily differentiated by the presence of some striking characteristics:
Seals lack external ears, a feature seen in sea lions.
In a solid environment, seals move by arching their bodies, unlike sea lions, which are able to move on all fours with relative agility.
Seals have a short neck, while sea lions have a long neck.
By Vanessa Sardinha dos Santos
Biology teacher
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SANTOS, Vanessa Sardinha dos. "Sealion"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/animais/leao-marinho.htm. Accessed on July 6, 2023.
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