AnAge entry for Hydrurga leptonyx

Classification (HAGRID: 02224)

Taxonomy: Kingdom: Animalia
    Phylum: Chordata
        Class: Mammalia (Taxon entry)
            Order: Carnivora
                Family: Phocidae
                    Genus: Hydrurga
Species: Hydrurga leptonyx
Common name: Leopard seal
Synonyms: Phoca leptonyx

Maximum longevity: Not yet established
Observations: The 2 months delayed implantation increases the pregnancy period to 11 months [0443]. In the wild, females have been estimated to live for more than 26 years [0542]. Little is known about their longevity in captivity. One wild born animal was about 17.3 years when it died in captivity [0671]. Further studies are needed.

No information on metabolism is available.

[0978] Jones et al. (2009), PanTHERIA: a species-level database of life history, ecology, and geography of extant and recently extinct mammals
[0671] Richard Weigl (2005), Longevity of Mammals in Captivity; from the Living Collections of the World
[0443] Ronald Nowak (2003), Walker's Marine Mammals of the World
[0455] Virginia Hayssen et al. (1993), Asdell's Patterns of Mammalian Reproduction: A Compendium of Species-Specific Data
[0542] Bernhard Grzimek (1990), Grzimek's Encyclopedia of Mammals