AI overview
A bearded seal is a large marine mammal found in the Arctic and subarctic oceans, named for the distinctive long whiskers around its mouth. These seals are important members of Arctic ecosystems and are hunted by indigenous peoples for food and materials.
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Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- taxon
- Subclass of
- Pinnipedia
- Image
- Bartrobbe 3-2002.jpg
Show 2 more facts
- P105
- species
- P141
- Near Threatened
via Wikidata · CC0
Article
The bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus), also known as the square-flipper seal, is a medium-sized pinniped that is found in and near to the Arctic Ocean. It gets its generic name from two Greek words (eri and gnathos) that refer to its heavy jaw. The other part of its Linnaean name means bearded and refers to its most characteristic feature, the conspicuous and abundant whiskers. When dry, these whiskers curl elegantly, giving the bearded seal a "raffish" look.
Bearded seals are the largest northern phocid. They have been found to weigh as much as 300 kg (660 lb), with the females being the largest. However, male and female bearded seals are not very dimorphic.