Weddell seal
E70182
The Weddell seal is a large, deep-diving Antarctic seal species known for living year-round on sea ice and for its remarkable ability to vocalize underwater.
Aliases (1)
Statements (50)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
mammal
→
marine mammal → pinniped → seal → true seal → |
| adaptation |
ability to slow heart rate during dives
→
large blood volume for oxygen storage → specialized teeth for maintaining breathing holes in ice → thick blubber layer for insulation → |
| behavior |
lives year-round on Antarctic sea ice
→
|
| binomialName |
Leptonychotes weddellii
→
|
| bodyLength |
around 2.5 to 3 meters in adults
→
|
| bodyMass |
up to about 600 kilograms in large adults
→
|
| breathingBehavior |
maintains breathing holes in fast ice
→
|
| breedingSeason |
austral spring
→
|
| class |
Mammalia
→
|
| coatColor |
gray to dark gray with lighter mottling
→
|
| communication |
complex underwater calls
→
|
| conservationStatus |
Least Concern
→
|
| diet |
crustaceans
→
fish → squid → |
| distribution |
circumpolar around Antarctica
→
|
| divingBehavior |
can remain submerged for more than an hour
→
dives to several hundred meters depth → |
| family |
Phocidae
→
|
| genus |
Leptonychotes
→
|
| habitat |
coastal Antarctic waters
→
sea ice → |
| kingdom |
Animalia
→
|
| lifespan |
can exceed 20 years in the wild
→
|
| lifestyle |
deep-diving
→
ice-associated → |
| namedAfter |
James Weddell
→
|
| nativeTo |
Antarctic region
→
|
| notableFor |
ability to dive to great depths
→
underwater vocalizations → |
| order |
Carnivora
→
|
| phylum |
Chordata
→
|
| predators |
killer whale
→
leopard seal → |
| range |
primarily south of the Antarctic Circle
→
|
| reproduction |
gives birth on sea ice
→
single pup per breeding season is typical → |
| sexualDimorphism |
females often slightly larger than males
→
|
| socialStructure |
aggregates on ice during breeding
→
generally solitary when foraging → |
| taxonRank |
species
→
|
| threats |
climate change impacts on sea ice habitat
→
|
| trophicLevel |
carnivore
→
|
Referenced by (6)
| Subject (surface form when different) | Predicate |
|---|---|
|
Brown Base
("Weddell seals")
→
|
hasNearbyWildlife |
|
Antarctic Peninsula
→
|
hasWildlife |
|
Weddell Sea
→
|
inhabitedBy |
|
Ross Sea
→
|
notableSpecies |
|
Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals
→
|
protects |
|
Paradise Bay
("Weddell seals")
→
|
typicalWildlife |