ANIMALS - MAMMALS - SEALS - SOUTH AMERICAN SEA LION (OTARIA FLAVESCENS)

Animals - Mammals - Seals

South American Fur Seal (Otaria flavescens)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Carnivora
Suborder : Pinnipedia
Family : Otariidae
Subfamily : Otariinae
Genus : Otaria
Species : O. Flavescens

Description:

The South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens, formerly Otaria byronia), also called the southern sea lion and the Patagonian sea lion, is a sea lion found on the Chilean, Ecuador, Peruvian, Uruguayan, Argentine and Southern Brazilian coasts. It is the only member of the genus Otaria. Its scientific name was subject to controversy, with some taxonomists referring to it as Otaria flavescens and others referring to it as Otaria byronia. The former eventually won out, although that may still be overturned. Locally, it is known by several names, most commonly lobo marino (sea wolf) and león marino (sea lion).

The South American sea lion is perhaps the archetypal sea lion in appearance. Males have a very large head with a well-developed mane, making them the most lionesque of the eared seals. They are twice the weight of females. Both males and females are orange or brown coloured with upturned snouts. Pups are born greyish orange ventrally and black dorsally and moult into a more chocolate colour.

The South American sea lion's size and weight can vary considerably. Adult males can grow over 2.73 m (9 ft) and weigh up to 350 kg (770 lb). Adult females grow up to 1.8–2 m (6–7 ft) and weigh about half the weight of the males, around 150 kg (330 lb). This species is even more sexually dimorphic than the other sea lions.

Binomial Name:

Name : Otaria flavescens
Taxonomist : George Shaw (Bierton - England)
Year : 1800
Subspecies : None, or not data available
Synonyms : Otaria byronia

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2014 – Uruguay - Stamp 2 of 2, from Spring Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: September 29th, 2014
Printed: 15.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 2 Stamps
Value: UYP 15

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated