Seal (seal) - Seal (English spelling)

Japanese: アザラシ(海豹) - アザラシ（英語表記）seal

A general term for marine mammals belonging to the suborder Pinnipedia and family Phocidae. A mammalian species within the order Carnivora that has adapted to life underwater. There are 19 known species in 11 genera. Their bodies are spindle-shaped, with short forelimbs and hind limbs pointing backwards, which distinguishes them from the families Otariidae and Walruses in the suborder Pinnipedia. Their limbs are covered with hair. Their snouts are not as pointed as those of sea lions, and they lack ears. They cannot walk on all fours on land, and can only move by crawling using their forelimbs and trunk. They swim by bringing their left and right hind limbs together and swinging them from side to side, just like a fish swinging its tail fin.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

鰭脚（ききやく）亜目アザラシ科Phocidaeに属する海獣の総称。食肉目のうち水中生活に適応した哺乳類。11属19種が知られている。体は紡錘形で，前肢が短く後肢が後方に向かう点で鰭脚亜目中のアシカ科，セイウチ科と異なる。四肢は毛で覆われる。吻（ふん）部はアシカほどとがらず耳介を欠く。陸上では四肢歩行ができず，前肢と体幹部によりはって移動するのみである。左右の後肢を合わせ，ちょうど魚が尾びれを振って泳ぐように左右に振って泳ぐ。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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