Leopard Seal Skull Replica

$272.00

Leopard Seals have an enormous mouth relative to their body size. The front teeth are sharp like those of other carnivores, but their molars lock together in a way that allows them to sieve krill from the water.

Description

Leopard Seal Skull Replica measures 14.5 inches. Leopard Seal Skull Replica is museum quality polyurethane cast. Made in USA. 2-part skull (separate cranium and jaw). Hydrurga leptonyx is the scientific name. Our precise skull can be used as a teaching tool, museum skull exhibit, home décor skull, or office décor skull.

Leopard Seal or Hydrurga leptonyx, also referred to as the Sea Leopard, is the second largest species of seal in the Antarctic. Its only natural predator is the killer whale. It feeds on a wide range of prey including cephalopods, other pinnipeds, krill, birds and fish.

The Leopard seal or Hydrurga leptonyx has a distinctively long and muscular body shape, when compared to other seals. This species of seal is known for its massive reptilian-like head and jaws that allow it to be one of the top predators in its environment.

A notable key feature of leopard seals is its counter-shaded coat. A counter-shaded coat is when the dorsal side of the coat is darker than ventral side. Leopard seals or Hydrurga leptonyx have a silver to dark gray blended coat that makes up its distinctive leopard coloration with a spotted pattern, whereas the ventral side of the coat is paler in color ranging from white to light gray.

Females are slightly larger than the males. The overall length of this seal is 7.9 to 11.5 ft. and weight is from 440 to 1,320 lbs. They are about the same length as the northern walrus, but usually less than half the weight.

Another notable characteristic of Leopard seals or Hydrurga leptonyx are their short clear whiskers that are used to sense their environment. Leopard seals have an enormous mouth relative to their body size. The front teeth are sharp like those of other carnivores, but their molars lock together in a way that allows them to sieve krill from the water, in the manner of the Crab-eater Seal.

Since Leopard seals or Hydrurga leptonyx are true seals, they do not have external pinnae, or ears, but they do have an internal ear canal that leads to an external opening. Their hearing in air is similar to that of a human, but scientists have noted that leopard seals use their ears in conjunction with their whiskers to track prey under water.

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Additional information

Weight 4 lbs
Dimensions 14.5 in
Leopard Seal Facts:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Clade: Pinnipedia
Family: Phocidae
Subfamily: Monachinae
Tribe: Lobodontini
Genus: Hydrurga
Species: H. leptonyx
Conservation status: Least Concern