Traditional and digital examination of the baculum of a leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx)

James P. Rule, Hazel L. Richards, Tahlia I. Pollock, David P. Hocking, Alistair R. Evans

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

While terrestrial breeding in polygynous species of pinnipeds allows for observations of reproductive behavior (Atkinson, 1997), similar opportunities are limited for cryptic, nonpolygynous, aquatic-breeding species. The isolated nature of solitary leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx; Southwell et al., 2012) restricts data collection on their reproductive behavior. Observations on reproductive behavior are limited to mating calls (Rogers, 2017; Rogers et al., 1996) and pupping (van der Linde et al., 2022). Leopard seal mating has been observed in captivity (Marlow, 1967), but not in the wild (Kooyman, 1981). Currently, the leopard seal is thought to mate aquatically, with males defending territories for mating (Atkinson, 1997).
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)292-301
Number of pages10
JournalMarine Mammal Science
Volume40
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2024

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