South American Sea Lion(Otaria
flavescens)
Classification: Family
Otariidae
Description:
Single species. Referred to by some scientists as Otaria byronia,
the South American sea lion is found along the coasts and
off-shore islands of South America. The limits of its range are
Zorritos in northern Peru and Ilha dos Lobos in southern Brazil,
although wandering individuals have been found as far north as
Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands.
Age: Modern
Size:
13.6in/34.5cm
Item#:
mod-south-american-sea-lion-skull-r-s103-va
Cost: $350
(+ shipping)
Hooker's New Zealand/Auckland Sea
Lion(Phocarctos hookeri)
Classification: Family
Otariidae
Description:
The single species, Phocarctos hookeri, now occurs along the
coast of South Island of New Zealand and on Stewart, Snares,
Auckland, Campbell, and Macquarie islands to the south. In
historical time it also occurred and probably bred on North
Island of New Zealand. This species formerly sometimes was
placed in the genus Neophoca but based on morphological and
behavioral distinctions, most authorities now treat Phocarctos
as a full genus.
Age: Modern
Size:
9.9in/25cm
Item#:
mod-hooker-newzealand-sea-lion-skull-r-s35-va
Cost: $260
(+ shipping)
Steller's Sea Lion(Eumetopias
stelleri)
Classification: Family
Otariidae
Description: The Steller sea lion is a member of the Otariidae
family, or eared seal. It is characterized by an external ear
which can be closed when entering water and by hind feet or
flippers that point forward. In contrast, Phocidae, or true
seal, has no external ears and it's rear flippers point
backward. Pacific NE Asia / N America coasts south to S
California Channel Islands.
Age: Modern
California Sea Lion(Zalophus
californianus)
Classification: Family
Otariidae
Description:
The California sea lion is found from southern Mexico up to
British Columbia and breeds almost entirely on islands in
southern California, western Baja California and the Gulf of
California.
Age: Modern
Size:
11.8in/30cm
Item#:
modern-california-sea-lion-skull-r-s90-va
Cost: $260
(+ shipping)
Northern Alaska Fur Seal(Callorhinus
ursinus)
Classification: Family
Otariidae
Description:
The Northern fur seal is found throughout the north Pacific
Ocean, ranging from the Bering Sea down to southern California
in the east and to central Japan in the west. Fur seals have
large, bare flippers which aid in regulating their body
temperature, especially on land. Dense fur covers the rest of
the body and consists of approximately 46,500 hairs per square
centimeter. The fur is a mix of a permanent dense underfur and
longer guard hairs which are molted once a year. Their large
eyes allow them to see at night. To prevent water from entering
while diving, fur seals are able to close their nostrils and
their ears which have a narrow, waxy orifice. Newborn fur seal
pups weigh about 4.5-5.5 kilograms, adult females are
approximately 30-50 kg, and mature males range from 185-275 kg.
Age: Modern
Size:
9.5in/24cm
Item#:
modern-northern-alaska-fur-seal-skull-r-s89-va
Cost: $250
(+ shipping)
Baikal Seal(Phoca
sibirica)
Classification: Family
Phocidae
Description:
Known locally as the nerpa and referred to by some scientists as
Pusa sibirica, the Baikal seal is found only in Russia's
isolated Lake Baikal, a designated World Heritage Site and the
world's deepest, oldest and most voluminous mass of freshwater.
The Baikal seal, one of the world's smallest pinnipeds, is in
fact the only pinniped species that lives solely in freshwater.
Age: Modern
Size:
6.3in/15.9cm
Item#:
modern-baikal-seal-skull-ca-12187-va
Cost: $220
(+ shipping)
Gray Seal(Halichoerus
grypus)
Classification: Family
Phocidae
Description:
Coat color is silvery to dusky gray and varies from individual
to individual. When the gray seal is wet it looks black. The
neck is bulky and fat, and has three conspicuous folds of skin.
The claws on the front flippers are long, narrow, and curved.
Total length up to 10 feet, weight to 660 pounds, with females
about 75% of length and 80% of weight of the males. This is a
gregarious species, living and feeding in groups. After the
females climb ashore to give birth, the males battle for the
best territory and the largest harems. Generally there are six
or seven females in a harem.
Age: Modern
Size:
10.3in/26.0cm
Item#:
modern-gray-seal-skull-ca-22571-va
Cost: $250
(+ shipping)
Sub-Antarctic Fur Seal(Arctocephalus
tropicalis)
Classification: Family
Phocidae
Description:
The sub-antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis) is rarely
seen in our waters but there have been several sightings of this
species at Bass Strait Australian fur seal colonies during the
1990s. This species is difficult to distinguish from the
Australian and New Zealand fur seals that breed in Tasmanian
waters. The sub-antarctic fur seal breeds on sub-antarctic
islands including Macquarie Island and Herd Island. On Macquarie
Island the total population of sub-antarctic fur seals is
estimated to be 90 to 110. In the 1995-96 season only 25 pups
were born. This species does occur throughout the sub-antarctic,
however, with an estimated total population of 300,000.
Age: Modern
Size:
6.9in/17.6cm
Item#:
modern-sub-antarctic-fur-seal-skull-dc002-va
Cost: $260
(+ shipping)
California Elephant Seal Female(Mirounga
angustirostris)
Classification: Family
Phocidae
Description:
Female skull. The California or Northern Elephant Seal is named
for its size and the trunk-like snout of mature bull males. It
is one of the largest of the pinnipeds. The elephant seal, along
with other members of the true seal family Phocidae, has no
external ears.
Age: Modern
Size:
13in/33cm
Item#:
mod-female-california-elephant-seal-r-s39-skull-va
Cost: $400
(+ shipping)
California Elephant Seal Male(Mirounga
angustirosteis)
Classification: Family
Phocidae
Description:
Male skull. The California or Northern Elephant Seal is named
for its size and the trunk-like snout of mature bull males. It
is one of the largest of the pinnipeds. The elephant seal, along
with other members of the true seal family Phocidae, has no
external ears. Pacific NE Asia/ N America: Midway, Japan, Bering
Sea, Alaska, Mexico.
Age: Modern
Size:
24in/61cm
Item#:
modern-male-california-elephant-seal-skull-r-s82-va
Cost: $575
(+ shipping)
Harbor Seal(Phoca
vitulina)
Classification: Family
Phocidae
Description:
The coat is light gray with scattered black and white markings,
which are more numerous on the back. The front flippers have
sharp, but weak claws. There are no external ears, the eyes are
large, and the hind flippers do not bend forward, which makes
this a true seal. Harbor seals can grow up to a total length of
six and a half feet and weigh 330 pounds, and females are only
slightly smaller than the male. The harbor seal feeds mainly on
fish and shellfish, usually the most plentiful species in a
given area. As a result it is often hunted by fishermen. Special
hunts are organized to protect migrating salmon.
Age: Modern
Size:
7.9in/20cm
Item#:
modern-harbor-seal-skull-r-s41-va
Cost: $240
(+ shipping)
Caribbean Monk Seal(Monachus
tropicalis)
Classification: Family
Phocidae
Description:
It is grayish-brown on the back and lighter on the underside,
sometimes with large white patches on the belly. The tips of the
brown hairs are often yellowish. There is practically no
underfur. Total length is about seven feet, and it weighs up to
450 pounds, with the female about the same size as the male.
Mediterranean monk seals are somewhat shorter, but heavier at
about 660 pounds. Little is known about this rare species. Monk
seals are the oldest and most primitive of all the pinnipeds.
The remaining few isolated colonies probably total no more than
a few thousand individuals. It is extremely difficult to observe
these seals, because they hide in caves and grottoes, which
often have underwater access only. Perhaps the decades of
hunting by fishermen (who blame the monk seal for destroying
their nets) has caused this behavior. It feeds on fish and
mollusks. Perhaps they just move away from people, and as people
inhabit more and more of their territory, they simply disappear.
Age: Modern
Size:
8.5in/22cm
Item#:
modern-caribbean-monk-seal-skull-r-s54-va
Cost: $250
(+ shipping)
Harp Seal(Pagophilus
groenlandicus)
Classification: Family
Phocidae
Description:
The coat is basically gray with a distinctive pattern, the face
is black, and a V-shaped black stripe runs along the back from
behind the neck and spreads out over the sides of the body. In
the female, which is darker, this stripe is less visible. It is
absent in young harp seals, which are entirely white at birth.
Total length about six and a half feet long, weighing almost 400
pounds, with the female slightly smaller. This species is
divided into three main populations: in the Arctic Ocean, in
Greenland, and in Newfoundland. It is migratory, moving north in
the summer and returning south in the winter to reproduce.
Age: Modern
Size:
7.5in/19cm
Item#:
modern-harp-seal-skull-r-s70-va
Cost: $220
(+ shipping)
