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The Ross seal (Ommatophoca rossii) is a true seal (family Phocidae) with a range confined entirely to the pack ice of Antarctica. It is the only species of the genus Ommatophoca. First described during the Ross expedition in 1841, it is the smallest, least abundant and least well known of the Antarctic pinnipeds.
The Ross seal (Ommatophoca rossii ) is a true seal (family Phocidae) with a range confined entirely to the pack ice of Antarctica. It is the only species of the genus Ommatophoca. First described during the Ross expedition in 1841, it is the smallest, least abundant and least well known of the Antarctic pinnipeds.
The Ross Seal (Ommatophoca rossii) is a rare and unique species of seal that inhabits the icy waters surrounding Antarctica. Unlike other seal species, they are solitary animals and do not form large colonies.
Ross seal, (Ommatophoca rossi), Antarctic seal of the family Phocidae. It has a short face, very large eyes, and coarse fur that is greenish gray above with yellowish stripes on the sides and paler below. Length in both sexes is to about 2.3 metres (7.6 feet) and weight is about 150–215 kilograms.
Ross seals are the least studied of the Antarctic seals due to their dispersed and isolated distribution. They are usually observed as solitary individuals, appearing to prefer larger and more concentrated ice located further in from the ice pack edge than that preferred by leopard and crabeater seals.
Ross seals are the smallest and rarest species of Antarctic true seal, thought to make up only 1% of all seals living in the Antarctic pack ice. Breeding and molting in areas of medium to dense pack ice south of 60°S latitude, Ross seals forage in the open sea away from the ice edge.
The Ross seal is one of four marine carnivores that breed in sea-ice habitats around Antarctica. Ross seals are not often seen because they breed and moult in difficult to reach areas of heavily congested pack ice and then apparently spend the rest of their lives in the open ocean.
Ross seals are the smallest seals of the Antarctic region, with a thick neck and a slender body. Members of this species have short body hairs, with the shortest hair and vibrissae of any phocid. They are dark brown on their dorsal surface and their ventral surface is silvery; spots and streaks frequently mark the head, neck, and flank.
Ross seals are slightly smaller on average than leopard and crabeater seals, reaching about 3 metres and 200 kg. Their coat is dark to light brown on the dorsal (back, upper) surface and silvery-white on the ventral (belly) surface.
Learn about the size, diet, population, habitat, behavior and other interesting facts about the Ross seal.