Seal (animal) - Definition and Overview

Pinnipeds
Juvenile Antarctic Fur Seal
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Suborder: Caniformia Family: Pinnipedia
subfamilies
Otariidae Phocidae Odobenidae

Pinnipeds are large marine mammals belonging to the Pinnipedia, a family (sometimes a suborder or superfamily, depending on the classification scheme) of the order Carnivora. The true seals, sea lions, fur seals and Walrus are all pinnipeds.

Pinnipeds are typically sleek bodied and rather large. 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. All are carnivorous and live on fish, shellfish, squid, and other marine creatures.

External links

• U.S. NOAA information page about Pinnipeds (http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prot_res/species/Pinnipeds/pinnipeds.html)