Phoca largha Pallas 1811
Description
Phoca largha Pallas, 1811 —Spotted Seal, largha seal
Phoca largha Pallas, 1811 p.113; Type locality- eastern coast of Kamchatka; Won & Smith, 1999 p.29; Kim, 2004 p.194.
P. vitulina: Ellerman & Morrison-Scott, 1951 p.328; Won, 1968 p.336.
P. vitulina largha: Ellerman & Morrison-Scott, 1951 p.328; Won, 1958 p.436; Won, 1968 p.338.
Range: A large colony of several hundred P. largha migrates annually through the Yellow Sea, East Sea, and Korea Strait and moves onto Baengnyeong Island in the Yellow Sea (Won & Yoo 2004; Fig. 64). Also, several individuals reside along the coast in small rocky islets near Gyeongpo beach, Gangneung City in the East Sea and Garorim Bay in the Yellow Sea (NIBR 2015).
Remarks: Based on external appearances, harbor and spotted seals are not readily distinguishable from each other. The two species are very similar in appearance, but the spots of the harbor seal tend to appear more faded and sparser on the underside of the body. The spotted seal is slightly smaller than the harbor seal and has a darker face and muzzle, and there are behavioral differences between the two species (Shirihai & Jarrett 2006). MtDNA studies confirmed the respective uniqueness of harbor and spotted seals at the species level (O’Corry-Crowe & Westlake 1997).
Conservation status: The Cultural and Heritage Administration in South Korea designated P. largha as a Natural Monument in 1982, followed by a declaration as an Endangered Species in 1997 by the Ministry of Environment and a Protected Marine Species in 2007 by the Ministry of Land, Transports and Maritime Affairs. Korean populations are regarded as ‘Endangered’ in both the North and South Korean Red Data Books (MAB National Committee of DPR Korea 2002; NIBR 2012). Populations declined from 8,000 individuals in 1940s to 2,300 in 1980s and 600–800 in 2010 (NIBR 2012).
Notes
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Linked records
Additional details
Identifiers
Biodiversity
References
- Pallas, P. S. (1811 [1831]) Zoographia Rosso-Asiatica, sistens omnium Animalium in extensor Imperio Rossico et adjacentibus maribus observatorum recensionem, domicillia, mores et descriptions, anatomen atque icons plurimorum. 3. Fol. 1. Academiae Scientiarum, St. Petersburg, 568 pp. [in Latin]
- Won, C. M. & Smith, K. G. (1999) History and current status of mammals of the Korean Peninsula. Mammal Review, 29, 3 - 33. https: // doi. org / 10.1046 / j. 1365 - 2907.1999.00034. x
- Kim, Z. G. (2004) Suborder Pinnipedia & Order Cetacea. In: Won, B. O. (Ed.), The mammals of Korea. Dongbang Media Press, Seoul, pp. 184 - 254. [in Korean]
- Ellerman, J. R. & Morrison-Scott, T. C. S. (1951) Checklist of Palaearctic and Indian Mammals 1758 to 1946. British Museum (Natural History), London, 810 pp.
- Won, H. K. (1968) The mammals of Korea. Institute of Science Press, Pyeongyang, 408 pp. [in Korean]
- Won, P. H. (1958) A hand list of Korean mammals. Bulletin of Kyung-Hee University, 1, 427 - 460.
- Won, C. M. & Yoo, B. H. (2004) Abundance, seasonal haul-out patterns and conservation of spotted seals Phoca largha along the coast of Bak-ryoung Island, South Korea. Oryx, 38, 109 - 112. https: // doi. org / 10.1017 / S 0030605304000171
- Shirihai, H. & Jarrett, B. (2006) Whales, dolphins and other marine mammals of the world. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, 384 pp.
- O'Corry-Crowe, G. M. & Westlake, R. L. (1997) Molecular investigations of spotted seals (Phoca largha) and harbor seals (P. vitulina), and their relationship in areas of sympatry. In: Dizon, A. E., Chivers, S. J. & Perrin, W. F. (Eds.), Molecular genetics of marine mammals. The Society of Marine Mammalogy, pp. 291 - 304.
- MAB National Committee of DPR Korea (2002) Red Data Book of DPRK (Animal). Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Pyongyang, 316 pp.