subantarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis) Fighting Subantarctic Furseals
Date: 2012-03-20
Author: Brian Gratwicke https://www.flickr.com/photos/briangratwicke/
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/briangratwicke/6954210738/
The subantarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis) is found in the southern parts of the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans. It was first described by Gray in 1872 from a specimen recovered in northern Australia—hence the inappropriate specific name tropicalis. Subantarctic fur seals are geographically widespread. As their name implies, they generally breed in more northerly locations than the Antarctic fur seals. The largest breeding colonies are on Gough Island in the south Atlantic and Île Amsterdam in the southern part of the Indian Ocean. Breeding grounds are also found at Marion Island in the Prince Edward Islands (where there is an overlap with Antarctic fur seals), Crozet Islands and the Macquarie Island. Where grounds overlap, the subantarctic species can be identified by the orange colour on the chest.
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Pinnipedia
Family: Otariidae
Subfamily: Arctocephalinae
Genus: Arctocephalus
Species: Arctocephalus tropicalis Gray, 1872
