Pinniped

**Pinnipeds**  are the **seals** and their relatives, a group of semi-aquatic marine mammals. The **Pinnipedia** is in the Order Carnivora.
There are three seal families: Odobenidae (walruses), Otariidae (eared seals, including sea lions and fur seals), and Phocidae (true seals).

Seals are sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped. Their bodies are well adapted to the aquatic habitat where they spend most of their lives. Pinnipeds have flippers for hands, big bulky bodies, doggish faces, and big eyes. Unlike cetaceans, pinnipeds have their noses on their faces, and each nostril of the nose closes when the pinniped goes underwater. Like cetaceans, pinnipeds have a thick layer of blubber (fat) just under their skin: this blubber keeps them warm in cold waters and keeps them fed during times when food is not easily found. When they cannot find food, they live off the fat in the blubber.

Pinnipeds are carnivorous. This means they eat only meat (such as fish or squid) and not plants. However, almost all pinnipeds can be eaten by polar bears, sharks and killer whales.

Seals are often trained in zoos or aquariums to put on shows. However, in Sweden, it is illegal to train a seal to balance a ball on its nose.

## Sleep

Pinnipeds sleep in the water. They may also sleep on land. In both environments, there is a danger. At least in the northern hemisphere, there is danger from polar bears on land, and in the water, there is danger from sharks. While sleeping in water, the animals go through different stages of sleep. They do some behaviors during sleep: they come to the surface occasionally to breathe, and they now and then open an eye for a period of time. The details vary in different species or groups. Similar adaptations are found in cetaceans like dolphins.

## Taxonomy

- Family **Phocidae** (Earless seals or true seals)
    - Subfamily Monachinae
        - Tribe **Monachini**
            - Genus _Monachus_
        - Tribe Mirungaini
            - Genus _Mirounga_: Elephant seals
        - Tribe **Lobodontini**
            - Genus _Ommatophoca_
                - Ross seal (_Ommatophoca rossii_)
            - Genus _Lobodon_
                - Crabeater seal (_Lobodon carcinophagus_)
            - Genus _Hydrurga_
                - Leopard seal (_Hydrurga leptonyx_)
            - Genus _Leptonychotes_
                - Weddell seal (_Leptonychotes weddellii_)
    - Subfamily **Phocinae**
        - (_placed here_)
            - Genus _Cystophora_
                - Hooded seal (_Cystophora cristata_)
            - Genus _Erignathus_
                - Bearded seal (_Erignathus barbatus_)
        - Tribe **Phocini**
            - Genus _Histriophoca_
                - Ribbon seal (_Histriophoca fasciata_)
            - Genus _Phoca_
                - Spotted seal (_Phoca largha_)
                - Common seal or Harbor Seal (_Phoca vitulina_)
                - Harp seal (_Phoca groenlandica_, formerly _Pagophilus groenlandicus_)
            - Genus _Pusa_
                - Ringed seal (_Pusa hispida_, formerly _Phoca hispida_)
                - Caspian seal (_Pusa caspica_, formerly _Phoca caspica_)
                - Baikal seal or Nerpa (_Pusa sibirica_, formerly _Phoca sibirica_)
            - Genus _Halichoerus_
                - Grey seal (_Halichoerus grypus_)

- Family **Otariidae** (Eared seals)
    - Genus _Arctocephalus_ (Fur seals)
        - Antarctic fur seal (_Arctocephalus gazella_)
        - Brown fur seal (_Arctocephalus pusillus_)
    - Genus _Callorhinus_
        - Northern fur seal (_Callorhinus ursinus_)
    - Genus _Eumetopias_
        - Steller sea lion or Northern Sea Lion (_Eumetopias jubatus_)
    - Genus _Neophoca_
        - Australian sea lion (_Neophoca cinerea_)
    - Genus _Otaria_
        - South American sea lion or Southern Sea Lion (_Otaria flavescens_, formerly _Otaria byronia_)
    - Genus _Phocarctos_
        - New Zealand sea lion (_Phocarctos hookeri_)
    - Genus _Zalophus_
        - California sea lion (_Zalophus californianus_)

- Family **Odobenidae** (Walruses)
    - Walrus (_Odobenus rosmarus_)