Mirounga leonina

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Southern Elephant Seal

Taxonomy

Subclass : Theria
Infraclass : Placentalia
Magnorder : Boreoeutheria
Superorder : Laurasiatheria
Order : Carnivora
Suborder : Caniformia
Infraorder : Arctoidea
Superfamily : Phocoidea
Family : Phocidae
Genus : Mirounga

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Linnaeus, C. 1758-01-01. Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio Decima, Reformata. Laurentii Salvii, Stockholm, 823 pp.

Authority publication link

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25033829

Original name as described

Phoca Leonina

Other common names

South Atlantic Elephant Seal · Southern Sea Elephant

Type material

BMNH:Mamm:1946.8.9.1

Type kind

lectotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/a209dede-30e1-442e-ad12-8f818440a1a9 https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/ed1cfb9d-e979-4d42-8922-dbc5f93c5a22

Type locality

"ad polum Antarcticum." Restricted by O. Thomas in 1911 to "Juan Fernandez," and further restricted by J. E. Hamilton in 1940 to "Isla Mas a Tierra" (Chile).

Biogeographic realm

Marine

Country distribution

Antarctica · Argentina · Australia · Chile · Falkland Islands · French Southern and Antarctic Lands · New Zealand · Saint Helena · South Africa · Prince Edward Islands · South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands · Angola · Brazil · Ecuador · Mauritius · Mozambique · Namibia · Oman · Peru · Uruguay

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1005919

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details. If the list is long, scroll down to see more.

Macrorhinus leoninus macquariensis

(Lydekker, 1909)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

macquariensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1901.6.22.1

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/3ebaec9d-0127-4555-ad1e-cdd09cd76f4f https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/c10f8f3c-c7f0-4fda-8b95-a04d9b8235ba

Authority page

28

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31210511

Authority publication

Abstracts of the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Phoca Leonina

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

leonina

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1946.8.9.1

Type kind

lectotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/a209dede-30e1-442e-ad12-8f818440a1a9 https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/ed1cfb9d-e979-4d42-8922-dbc5f93c5a22

Authority page

37

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25033829

Authority publication

Stockholm

Name usages

  1. Erxleben (1777:581, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15873378) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36060)
  2. Cuvier (1797:171, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11637253) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38531)
  3. Daudin (1802:191, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42033441) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/64044)
  4. Thunberg (1811:322, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11767816) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/64194)
  5. Fischer (1814:xxi, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29130082) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/12226)
  6. Illiger (1815:102, 110, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080958, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080966) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38688)

Phoca Elephantina

(G. I. Molina, 1782)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

elephantina

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1946.8.9.1

Type kind

lectotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/a209dede-30e1-442e-ad12-8f818440a1a9 https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/ed1cfb9d-e979-4d42-8922-dbc5f93c5a22

Authority page

280

Authority publication

Bologna

Macrorhinus leoninus typicus

(Lydekker, 1909)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

typica

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1946.8.9.1

Type kind

lectotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/a209dede-30e1-442e-ad12-8f818440a1a9 https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/ed1cfb9d-e979-4d42-8922-dbc5f93c5a22

Authority page

28

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31210511

Authority publication

Abstracts of the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Macrorhinus leoninus crosetensis

(Lydekker, 1909)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

crosetensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1949.2.3.13

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/5ae38636-a121-4910-84c8-a2e19ee44daf https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/5f0d543b-6940-457e-b656-5b43e10a7dea

Authority page

28

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31210511

Authority publication

Abstracts of the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Phoca proboscidea

(Péron, 1816)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

proboscidea

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

preoccupied

Type

untraced (number not known)

Type kind

nonexistent

Authority page

34

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Macrorhinus heminasutus

(C. H. Smith, 1842)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

heminasuta

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

262

Authority page URI

https://books.google.com/books?id=DvE_AAAAcAAJ&pg=PA262

Authority publication

Edinburgh

Name usages

Smith (1842:262) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67141)

Macrorhinus proboscidia

(C. H. Smith, 1842)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

proboscidia

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

262

Authority page URI

https://books.google.com/books?id=DvE_AAAAcAAJ&pg=PA262

Authority publication

Edinburgh

Name usages

Smith (1842:262) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67141)

Macrorhinus simus

(C. H. Smith, 1842)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

sima

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

263

Authority page URI

https://books.google.com/books?id=DvE_AAAAcAAJ&pg=PA263

Authority publication

Edinburgh

Name usages

Smith (1842:263) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67141)

kerguilensis

Wozencraft, 2005

Family

Phocidae

Root name

kerguilensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

598

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005:598) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Morunga proboscidea

E. Blyth, 1863

Family

Phocidae

Root name

proboscidea

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

79

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47534760

Authority publication

Calcutta

Name usages

Blyth (1863:79, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47534760) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37155)

Phoca proboscidea

(Tiedemann, 1808)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

proboscidea

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

552

Authority publication

Landshut

Name usages

  1. Illiger (1815:102, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080958) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38688)
  2. Desmarest (1817:550, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18044320) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/60328)

Phoca Resima

(Péron, 1816)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

resima

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

66

Authority publication

Paris

Phoca Coxii

(A. G. Desmarest, 1817)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

coxii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

559

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18044329

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

  1. Desmarest (1817:559, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18044329) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/60328)
  2. Lesson (1827:205, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207673) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)

Phoca Ansonina

(de Blainville, 1820)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

ansonina

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

299

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/6174275

Authority publication

Journal de Physique, de Chimie, d'Histoire naturelle et des Arts

phoca Ansonii

(A. G. Desmarest, 1821)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

ansonii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

239

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/39524003

Authority publication

Paris

Macrorhinus proboscideus

(F. Cuvier, 1826)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

proboscideus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

552

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25305785

Authority publication

Strasbourg

Name usages

  1. Lesson (1827:201, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207669) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  2. Lesson (1842:83) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

Mirounga Ansonii

J. E. Gray, 1827

Family

Phocidae

Root name

ansonii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

180

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34790374

Authority publication

London

Mirounga Patagonica

J. E. Gray, 1827

Family

Phocidae

Root name

patagonica

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

180

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34790374

Authority publication

London

Mirounga Proboscidea

J. E. Gray, 1827

Family

Phocidae

Root name

proboscidea

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

180

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34790374

Authority publication

London

Macrorhinus Ansonii

(Lesson, 1827)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

ansonii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

202

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207670

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Lesson (1827:202, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207670) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)

Phoca dubia

(J. B. Fischer, 1829)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

dubia

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

235

Authority publication

Stuttgart

Cystophora proboscidea

(S. Nilsson, 1838)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

proboscidea

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

240

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34530092

Authority publication

Kunglika Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens Handlingar

Name usages

Nilsson (1841:324, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9707207) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/65304)

Macrorhinus Coxii

(Boitard, 1841)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

coxii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

277

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16650353

Authority publication

Paris

Morunga Elephantina

J. E. Gray, 1844

Family

Phocidae

Root name

elephantina

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

4

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/6957431

Authority publication

London

Cystophora falklandica

(W. C. H. Peters, 1875)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

falklandica

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

394 (footnote)

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/36128114

Authority publication

Monatsberichte der Königlichen Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin

Cystophora kerguelensis

(W. C. H. Peters, 1875)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

kerguelensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

394 (footnote)

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/36128114

Authority publication

Monatsberichte der Königlichen Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin

Cystophora elephantina

(A. E. Brehm, 1877)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

elephantina

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

638

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/994930

Authority publication

Leipzig

Macrorhinus leoninus

(J. A. Allen, 1880)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

leoninus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

456

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/1565663

Authority publication

Washington

Name usages

Lahille (1899:183, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/35147049) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37834)

Mirounga leonina

J. A. Allen, 1905

Family

Phocidae

Root name

leonina

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

95

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16055790

Authority publication

book

Name usages

  1. Corbet & Hill (1980:108) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
  2. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:287) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
  3. Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)
  4. Mittermeier & Wilson (2014:171) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67175)
  5. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #13583) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  6. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #13583) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  7. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1005919) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  8. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/13583/45227247) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Macrorhinus leoninus falclandicus

(Lydekker, 1909)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

falclandicus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

28

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31210511

Authority publication

Abstracts of the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

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