Details
Lobodon carcinophaga
One of the most abundant Antarctic seals, despite a name that suggests crabs. It feeds mainly on krill using specialized filtering teeth.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Crabeater seals live around Antarctic pack ice, ice edges, and cold open water. Sea ice is used for resting, breeding, and molting.
They have a slender body and pale gray-brown coat, often marked by scars. The head is relatively narrow and the cheek teeth interlock like a sieve.
They rest alone or in small groups on ice and forage for krill underwater. Ice provides refuge from predators such as killer whales and leopard seals.
Antarctic krill is the main prey. Cusped teeth trap krill while water is expelled, allowing efficient filter feeding.
Females give birth to one pup on ice in spring. Nursing is brief, and males may remain nearby while the female feeds the pup.
The species is thought to be numerous, but its dependence on sea ice and krill makes Southern Ocean change an important monitoring issue.
