Caribbean monk seal (English spelling) Monachus tropicalis; West Indian monk seal

Japanese: カリブカイモンクアザラシ（英語表記）Monachus tropicalis; West Indian monk seal

Order Carnivora, Suborder Pinnipedia, Family Phocidae, Genus Phocidae. Also known as the Atlantic monk seal. Body length is about 2.4 m, weight is 170-270 kg. Birth length is about 1 m, birth weight is estimated to be 16-18 kg. The fur color is yellowish brown, blackish brown, or chestnut, and there is no morphological difference with the Hawaiian monk seal. The body shape is thick and short, spindle-shaped. The head is slightly flattened, the tip of the snout is wide, the left and right external nostrils are slightly apart, and there is a groove in the center. The sensory hairs around the mouth are straight and flexible. The head is very rounded and densely covered with fine hair. There are no ears, and the ear holes are relatively large and located slightly below the eyes. The forelimbs are short with webs between the toes, and the claws are well developed. The hind limbs are fin-like, and the claws are round. The front and back legs are densely covered with hair. The tail is short. The upper and lower jaws have four incisors, two canines, and ten cheek teeth. It is found throughout the Caribbean Sea. It was last reported in 1952, and has not been seen since, so it is considered to be an extinct species.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

食肉目鰭脚亜目アザラシ科モンクアザラシ属。タイセイヨウモンクアザラシともいう。体長は約 2.4m，体重は 170～270kg。出生体長は約 1m，出生体重は 16～18kgと推定される。体毛の色は黄褐色，黒茶色，栗色で，ハワイモンクアザラシと形態的な違いはなく，体型は太く短い紡錘形である。頭部は少し扁平で，吻端は幅広く，左右の外鼻孔がやや離れており，その中央に1本の溝がある。口の周囲にある感覚毛はまっすぐでしなやかである。頭部はきわめて丸く，細い毛が密生する。耳介はなく，耳孔は目の後方やや下側に位置し比較的大きい。前肢は短く指間に蹼 (みずかき) があり，爪はよく発達する。後肢は鰭 (ひれ) 状で，爪は丸い。前後肢には毛が密生する。尾は短い。上顎と下顎に門歯が各4本，犬歯が各2本，頬歯が各 10本ある。カリブ海全域に分布する。 1952年の発見報告を最後に，それ以降は目撃例がなく，絶滅種と考えられている。

出典　ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典について　情報

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