Category
page 1Sea lions

sea lion
subfamily of marine mammals

Steller's sea lion
species of mammal

South American sea lion
species of mammal

New Zealand sea lion
species of mammal
Thalassoleon
Thalassoleon ("sea lion", from Greek: thalassa, the sea; and leon, lion) is an extinct genus of large fur seal. Thalassoleon inhabited the Northern Pacific Ocean in latest Miocene and early Pliocene. Fossils of T. mexicanus are known from Baja California and southern California. T. macnallyae is known from central California, and T. inouei (which may be a synonym of T. macnallyae) is known from Japan. Thalassoleon could be the ancestor of the modern northern fur seal.
alt=Artist's Reconstruction of the extinct otariid Thalassoleon mexicanus|thumb|Artist's Reconstruction of Thalassoleon mexican