How did the Crabeater Seal get its name?
Their name originates from the German word, ‘Krebs’, which covers other crustacea as well as crabs. Since krill is a very abundant food source, there is a large population of these seals. Crabeater seals have specially adapted teeth with extra projections to gulp in seawater and strain out the krill.
What were the crab eating seals doing with what have they been compared?
While many Antarctic birds and mammals eat krill, crabeater seals are krill specialist feeders, with a unique adaptation for filtering the tiny crustaceans from seawater. They feed by swimming through massive krill swarms with their mouth open wide, sieving the seawater out using their complex teeth.
How did the crabeater seal get its name?
The scientific names of “ Lobodon ” and “ carcinophaga ” mean “lobe-toothed” and “crab eater” respectively. Despite the name, Crabeater Seals don’t eat Crabs. Crabeater Seals bodies have been found remarkably far inland, over 100km from the shore.
What kind of food does the crabeater seal eat?
Other prey items include cephalopods and diverse Antarctic fish species. Although the crabeater seal is sympatric with the other Antarctic seal species (Weddell, Ross and leopard seals), the specialization on krill minimizes interspecific food competition.
Where does the crabeater seal live in Antarctica?
The crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophaga), also known as the krill-eater seal, is a true seal with a circumpolar distribution around the coast of Antarctica.
How many crabeater seals are there in the world?
They are by far the most abundant seal species in the world. While population estimates are uncertain, there are at least 7 million and possibly as many as 75 million individuals.
The scientific names of “ Lobodon ” and “ carcinophaga ” mean “lobe-toothed” and “crab eater” respectively. Despite the name, Crabeater Seals don’t eat Crabs. Crabeater Seals bodies have been found remarkably far inland, over 100km from the shore.
Other prey items include cephalopods and diverse Antarctic fish species. Although the crabeater seal is sympatric with the other Antarctic seal species (Weddell, Ross and leopard seals), the specialization on krill minimizes interspecific food competition.
How long do crabeater seals live in the wild?
Crabeater Seals are known to live up to 40 years in the wild. How many Crabeater Seals are there today? Estimates for the world’s Crabeater Seals population vary wildly – from 7,000,000 to 75,000,000. Do Crabeater Seals have any natural predators?
Where are krill trapped in a crabeater seal?
Together with the tight fit of the upper and lower jaw, a bony protuberance near the back of the mouth completes a near-perfect sieve within which krill are trapped.