Of the phocidés ( Phocidae ) is that of truths Phoque S and of the sea elephants (seals without ears), that is to say 18 currently alive species. This family was created by John Edward Gray (1800-1875) in 1821. She was classified a long time in the order of the Pinnipède S, but is rather classified currently in the order of the Carnivora (carnivorous), sub-order of the Caniformia .

The word seal comes from the Greek phôké meaning seal or marine Veau . The small one of the seal is the Blanchon.

The most known species, which gave its name to the family, is the common Phoque. A male of this species measures on average 1,55 m with a weight of 90 kg. For the females, the intermediate size is of 1,45 m with a weight of 70 kg. He lives in moderate water and sub Arctique S. In winter, he lives on the Banquise.

Characteristics

Of a length from 1 to 6 m, according to the species, the seals have the spindle-shaped body. Their forelimbs, very short, are transformed into swimming pallets. The rear limbs who cannot fold up themselves under the belly determine the mode of locomotion: to ground or on the ice, the seals progress by snaking while making use of their two forelimbs (whereas the others pinnipèdes, otaries and Morses, make use of their four members); at sea, they godillent. The seals are carnivorous and their food is composed primarily of coastal fish.

Visually, the seal easily is different from his/her cousin the Otarie:

• absence of house on the level of the ear, one notes just the presence of the auditory canal,
• the propulsion is ensured by the posterior fins in a movement similar to that of frog, or by a movement of Godille,
• the direction is ensured by the former fins,
• apart from water, the body cannot be rectified on its pectoral fins, contrary to the otaries.

Systematic

List

The 18 species are divided into several S (of which the number differs according to the authors), generally composed of only one:

• Cystophora - Seal with cap. Only one species.
• Erignathus - bearded Seal. Only one species.
• Halichoerus - gray Seal. Only one species.
• Histriophoca (*) - ribboned seal. Only one species.
• Hydrurga - Leopard of the seas. Only one species.
• Leptonychotes - Seal of Weddel. Only one species.
• Lobodon - Seal crabier. Only one species.
• Mirounga - macrorhinuses or sea elephants. Two species.
• Monachus - seals monks. Two alive species, plus extinct in the Caribbean about 1950.
• Ommatophoca - Seal of Ross. Only one species.
• Pagophilus (*) - Seal of Greenland. Only one species.
• Phoca - seals. Two species.
• Pusa (*) - Three species, of which the Seal of Siberia, single fresh water seal, which lives in the Lac Baïkal.

(*) : these three S are integrated into the kind Phoca in certain classifications (according to the authors)

Details on some species of the various subfamilies

Monachinés, i.e. the seals monks, are pledged with the tropical and subtropical seas. Monachus monachus is the only species of seal present in the Mediterranean, where it became very rare. The seal monk of Hawaii is a threatened species (1 400 individuals estimated in the maritime zone protected from Hawaii).

The Lobodontinés, still called, because of their geographical distribution, seals antarctic, are represented by the Phoque of Weddel ( Leptonychotes weddelli ), which lives in general as a recluse, but gathers in mass on the rock coasts at the time of the reproduction; the Phoque crabier ( Lobodon carcinophaga ), whose long and thin canines are less used to crush the hard carapaces of the small shellfish of which it is nourished that to filter water to retain these floating organizations; the Leopard of sea ( Hydrurga leptonyx ), whose weight can reach 400 kg and who owes his name as well with the spots of his fur as to his ferocity towards the penguins and the seals of other species; finally, the Seal of Ross ( Ommatophoca rossii ), greenish on the back, striped of yellow on the sides, which grazes the algae and introduces the invertebrates of the oceanic funds.

The Eystophorinés, or seals with peak, are characterized by a body érectile, forming a kind of horn or peak, on the head of the males. The sea elephants of the south ( Mirounga leonina ), largest and most powerful, are the most typical specimens. Whereas one formerly found them on all the subantarctic coasts and islands, they do not remain any more, today, that on the shores of some islands (Saint-Paul, Kerguelen…), where they form, at the time of the reproduction, of the populeux harems. As for their close relatives, the sea elephants of north ( Mirounga angustirostris ), they are even fewer. The protection measures which were taken made it possible however to make go up manpower of these two species. The young people seals with cap ( Cystophora cristata ), of the circumpolar areas, are thus named because of the presence on the head of a “cap” which can inflate when the animal is excited.

The Phocinés, finally, are Arctic seals. The Seal marbled ( Phoca hispida ), or Seal ringed, living coasts located at the periphery of the Arctic icecap, lives in winter under the ice, in which it maintains an opening to breathe. It formerly represented the essential food of the coastal tribes of the Arctic. The bearded Phoque ( Erignathus barbatus ) is, after the sea elephant, largest of the seals (it can exceed 3,50 m) length. This animal has manners similar to those of the preceding species. The Seal of Greenland, or Seal with saddle ( Pagophilus groenlandicus ), is characterized by the two broad side black spots which converge dorsalement on the level of its shoulders. Recently the international opinion expressed its indignation in connection with the massacre of the new-born babies of this species. The gray Phoque ( Halichoerus grypus ) lives on the coasts of the North Atlantic. Lastly, the marine seal-calf, or marine Calf ( Phoca vitulina ), whose color varies grisâtre with gray-brown dark, remains on the sand beaches bordering not very deep water. He lives in the north of Europe, in Canada and on the coasts of the Northern Pacific.

History of taxonomy

The first name of the taxon was phocacés , it included the Otariinae and some watery Proboscidea .

Hunting for the seals

See also: Hunting for the seals

Largely widespread formerly, in particular for the fur, the Chasse for the seals was prone to Embargo until in 1995. Following the increase in their population, the seals are the subject again of an international business with annual quota, but they can be driven out only by the indigenous populations. They from now on are watched for, moreover, by other dangers: epidemics, marine pollution, cast iron of the ice-barrier due to climate warming or certain human activities which disturb in particular the reproduction.

The drives out with the seals is an old hunting practiced by the Inuit S in the area Arctique which were useful about it for many uses by recovering the meat, the fur, lubricates (or oils it) and bones. The vocation of hunting is very different today, manners Inuit S having changed besides and commercial hunting and the interest for the seal skins, which are of a single quality, being well developed since their advent at the 18th century. Hunting thus caused a debate whose antagonists are the hunters and the opponents with hunting, also called groups Animaliste S.

See too

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