Weddell seal

E70182

The Weddell seal is a large, deep-diving Antarctic seal species known for living year-round on sea ice and for its remarkable ability to vocalize underwater.

All labels observed (4)

Label Occurrences
Weddell seal canonical 11
Weddell seals 5
Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf mammal
marine mammal
pinniped
seal
true seal
adaptation ability to slow heart rate during dives
large blood volume for oxygen storage
specialized teeth for maintaining breathing holes in ice
thick blubber layer for insulation
behavior lives year-round on Antarctic sea ice
binomialName Leptonychotes weddellii
linked to: Leptonychotes
bodyLength around 2.5 to 3 meters in adults
bodyMass up to about 600 kilograms in large adults
breathingBehavior maintains breathing holes in fast ice
breedingSeason austral spring
class Mammalia
coatColor gray to dark gray with lighter mottling
communication complex underwater calls
conservationStatus Least Concern
diet crustaceans
fish
squid
distribution circumpolar around Antarctica
divingBehavior can remain submerged for more than an hour
dives to several hundred meters depth
family Phocidae
genus Leptonychotes
habitat coastal Antarctic waters
sea ice
kingdom Animalia
lifespan can exceed 20 years in the wild
lifestyle deep-diving
ice-associated
namedAfter James Weddell
nativeTo Antarctic region
linked to: Antarctica
notableFor ability to dive to great depths
underwater vocalizations
order Carnivora
phylum Chordata
predators killer whale
leopard seal
range primarily south of the Antarctic Circle
reproduction gives birth on sea ice
single pup per breeding season is typical
sexualDimorphism females often slightly larger than males
socialStructure aggregates on ice during breeding
generally solitary when foraging
taxonRank species
threats climate change impacts on sea ice habitat
trophicLevel carnivore

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (18)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Antarctic Peninsula hasWildlife Weddell seal
Weddell Sea inhabitedBy Weddell seal
Paradise Bay typicalWildlife Weddell seals
linked to: Weddell seal
Ross Sea notableSpecies Weddell seal
Brown Base hasNearbyWildlife Weddell seals
linked to: Weddell seal
Half Moon Island hasWildlife Weddell seal
CCAS speciesCovered Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii)
linked to: Weddell seal
Antarctic toothfish preyedUponBy Weddell seal
McMurdo Sound hasWildlife Weddell seals
linked to: Weddell seal
Terra Nova Bay ecosystemFeature Weddell seals
linked to: Weddell seal
Phocidae hasNotableSpecies Weddell seal
Cape Hallett hasWildlife Weddell seal
Gerlache Strait wildlifeIncludes Weddell seals
linked to: Weddell seal
Marguerite Bay hasFauna Weddell seal
Leptonychotes commonName Weddell seal genus
linked to: Weddell seal
Palmer Archipelago typicalWildlife Weddell seal