(DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species seal, harbor
Species Id M120029
Date 26 AUG 96
TAXONOMY
NAME - seal, harbor
OTHER COMMON NAMES - common seal and spotted seal
ELEMENT CODE - 03/19/84
AOU CODE - 04/29/85
CATEGORY - Marine Mammals
PHYLUM AND SUBPHYLUM - Chordata,
CLASS AND SUBCLASS - Mammalia, Theria
ORDER AND SUBORDER - Pinnipedia,
FAMILY AND SUBFAMILY - Phocidae,
GENUS AND SUBGENUS - Phoca,
SPECIES AND SSP - vitulina, vitulina
SCIENTIFIC NAME - Phoca vitulina vitulina
AUTHORITY - Linnaeus 1758
TAXONOMY REFERENCES - 1033 and 1043
COMMENTS ON TAXONOMY -
Other common names: common seal, spotted seal *1037*; P.
v. vitulina is the subspecies that occurs in the Atlantic *1043*
Taxonomy - 1 (DRAFT) - Status
Species seal, harbor
Species Id M120029
Date 26 AUG 96
STATUS
Coded Status
Marine Mammal
REFERENCES FOR STATUS - 1029 and 1033
Status - 1 (DRAFT) - Distribution
Species seal, harbor
Species Id M120029
Date 26 AUG 96
DISTRIBUTION
References on County Occurrence - CB1 and AO1
References on County Abundance - AO1
REFERENCES FOR HYDROLOGIC UNIT CODES - CB1 and AO1
REFERENCES FOR OTHER DISTRIBUTION - H
Distribution - 1 HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS
HABITAT - Aquatic
REFERENCES FOR HABITAT - 1033
LAND USE -
Water
Chesapeake Bay
Atlantic Ocean Coastal Waters
REFERENCES FOR LAND USE - 1043, 1033 and 2096
NATIONAL WETLAND INVENTORY CODES
NWI NWICLS NWIMOD NWISPEC
Marine, subtidal OW0
Estuarine, subtidal OW0
Estuarine, intertidal BB2
Riverine, tidal OW0
Marine, intertidal BB2
Marine, intertidal RS.
REFERENCES FOR NWI - 1025
ANIMAL/PLANT SPECIES ASSOCIATIONS -
Parasites: trematode
cestode
nematode
Acanthocephala
Acarina
Anoplura *1030*
REFERENCES FOR SPECIES ASSOCIATIONS - 1030
COMMENTS ON SPECIES ASSOCIATIONS -
A complete listing of parasites can be found on p. 535
in Dailey and Brownell, Jr. 1972 *1030*
Habitat Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Food Habits
Species seal, harbor
Species Id M120029
Date 26 AUG 96
FOOD HABITS
TROPHIC LEVEL -
Carnivore
REFERENCES FOR TROPHIC LEVEL - 1033, 1048 and 1037
LIFESTAGE FOOD FOOD PART
General Animals Not Applicable
General Animals Adult stage
General Molluscs Not Applicable
General Molluscs Adult stage
General Squid, Octopus Adult stage
General Bivalve Molluscs Adult stage
General Crustaceans Adult stage
General Osteichthyes Adult stage
General Clupeiformes Adult stage
General Salmoniformes Adult stage
General Gadiformes Adult stage
Important Animals Not Applicable
Juvenile Animals Adult stage
Juvenile Crustaceans Adult stage
REFERENCES FOR GENERAL FOOD - 1033, 1048 and 1037
REFERENCES FOR IMPORTANT FOOD - 1033
REFERENCES FOR JUVENILE FOOD - 1037
Food Habits - 1 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species seal, harbor
Species Id M120029
Date 26 AUG 96
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G = General A = Adult
LIM = Limiting RA = Resting Adult
J = Juvenile FA = Feeding Adult
RJ = Resting Juvenile BA = Breeding Adult
FJ = Feeding Juvenile P = Pupae
L = Larvae E = Egg
RL = Resting Larvae
FL = Feeding Larvae
LIFESTAGE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G Aquatic Habitat Zonation: Open water [pelagic zone]
G Aquatic Habitat Zonation: Shallows with emergent vegetation [littoral zone]
G Coastal Features: Sand beaches
G Coastal Features: Rocky beaches
G Coastal Features: Sand bars
G Coastal Features: Rocky offshore islands
G Coastal Features: Sandy offshore islands
G Coastal Wetlands: Coastal open fresh water
LIM Aquatic Habitat Zonation: Shallows with emergent vegetation [littoral zone]
LIM Coastal Features: Sand beaches
LIM Coastal Features: Sand bars
LIM Coastal Features: Rocky offshore islands
LIM Coastal Features: Sandy offshore islands
LIM Coastal Features: Rocky beaches
BA Aquatic Habitat Zonation: Specified in Comments
BA Coastal Features: Specified in Comments
REFERENCES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 1043, 1025, 1037 and 1035
REFERENCES FOR LIMITING ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 1043, 1025, 1037 and 1035
REFERENCES FOR BREEDING ADULT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 1037
COMMENTS ON BREEDING ADULT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ -
00420S=birth occurs on land *1037*; 00190S=copulation
occurs in the water *1037*
Environment Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species seal, harbor
Species Id M120029
Date 26 AUG 96
LIFE HISTORY
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: length is 5-6 feet (1.5-1.8 m);
weight is 120-150 kgs.; females are slightly smaller; yellow-gray with
many black or brown spots, coloration is slightly lighter ventrally;
limbs are webbed and covered with fur, claws are sharp and thin, dental
formula: is I4/3; C5/5; PC5/5 *1043,1037,1035*; REPRODUCTION: breeds in
September, gestation period is 280 days, 1 or 2 offspring/period/year;
sexual maturity at 3-6 years in males, 2-5 years in females; pups are
weaned in about 3 weeks, the adult moult, and then mate; males establish
a territory during the breeding season, live in pairs *1043,1037,1035*;
gestation includes 2 month period caused by delayed implantation *1048*;
BEHAVIOR: home range is small, an individual rarely travels more than 10
miles from its birth place, usually solitary, gathers to feed and breed;
copulation occurs in water near the breeding beaches; pups enter the
water very soon after birth; bask on beaches and islands
*1037,1035,2095*; ORIGIN: native *1043*; AQUATIC/TERRESTRIAL
ASSOCIATIONS: predators: killer whales, polar bears, eagles, foxes,
sharks, walruses *1048*
REFERENCES FOR LIFE HISTORY- 1043, 1048, 1035, 2095 and 1037
Life History - 1 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species seal, harbor
Species Id M120029
Date 26 AUG 96
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
RESULT MANAGEMENT PRACTICE
Beneficial Regulating harvest of species being described
Beneficial Prohibiting harvest of species being described
Beneficial Public education - publicity
Beneficial Public education - law enforcement
Existing Regulating harvest of species being described
Existing Prohibiting harvest of species being described
Existing Public education - publicity
Existing Public education - law enforcement
REFERENCES FOR BENEFICIAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES - 1048
REFERENCES FOR EXISTING MANAGEMENT PRACTICES - 1048
Management Practices - 1 (DRAFT) - References
Species seal, harbor
Species Id M120029
Date 26 AUG 96
References
276 * Harvey, James T., David L. Stein. 1986. The State of
Scientific Information Relating to the Biology and Ecology of
the Gorda Ridge Study Area, Northeast Pacific Ocean: Nekton.
(0-86-7) (ed.). Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral
Industries Portland, Oregon:131.
1025* Allen, K. R. 1980. Conservation and Management of Whales.
Washington Sea Grant Univ. Washington Press, Seattle:220.
1029* (ed.). Checklist of Virginia marine mammals. Virginia
Assoc. Res. Campus 12.
1030* Dailey, M.D., Brownell, R.L., Jr. 1972. A checklist of
marine mammal parasites. Mammals of the Sea: Biology and
Medicine Ridgeway, S. H. Charles C. Thomas Publ. Springfield,
Ill:528-529.
1033* Gunderson, H.L. 1976. Mammalogy. McGraw-Hill Inc. New
York, N.Y:117-120.
1035* Martin, R.M. 1977. Mammals of the Oceans. G.P. Putnam's
Sons New York, N.Y:44-82.
1037* Nishiwaki, M. 1972. General biology. Mammals of the Sea:
Biology and Medicine Ridgeway, S. H. Charles C. Thomas Publ.
Springfield, Ill:3-204.
1043* Schmidly, D.J. 1981. Marine mammals of the southeastern
United States and the Gulf of Mexico. (41). U.S. Fish and Wildl.
Serv., Off. Biol. Serv. Washington, D.C:163.
1048* Serv., National Marine Fisheries. 1981. Marine mammal
protection act of 1972. Annual report.. U.S. Dep. Comm., Natl.
Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin. Washington, D.C:143.
2095* Walker, E.P. 1975. MAMMALS OF THE WORLD. The Johns Hopkins
Press Baltimore.
2096* Wass, M.L., et_al. 1972. A checklist of the biota of Lower
Chesapeake Bay. Scientific Rep. No. 65. V.I.M.S. Gloucester
Point, Va:290.
References - 1