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Ecology of Phoca vitulina
 
Main Ref. Jefferson, T.A., S. Leatherwood and M.A. Webber, 1993
Remarks Found in coastal waters of the continental shelf and slope (Ref. 1394); and whelp in groups on beaches, sandbars, and rocky reefs (Ref. 1522). Also for resting, moulting and lactation during low tides. Typically perform U-shaped dives. Leave the coast on foraging trips to deeper offshore waters where prey is abundant (Ref. 96347). Feeds on a wide variety of fish, cephalopods, and crustaceans of surface, mid-water and benthic habitats (Ref. 1394).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

Marine - Neritic Marine - Oceanic Brackishwater Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies
  • supra-littoral zone
  • littoral zone
  • sublittoral zone
  • epipelagic
  • mesopelagic
  • epipelagic
  • abyssopelagic
  • hadopelagic
  • estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas
  • mangroves
  • marshes/swamps
  • rivers/streams
  • lakes/ponds
  • caves
  • exclusively in caves
Highighted items on the list are where Phoca vitulina may be found.

Habitat

Substrate Hard Bottom: rocky;
Substrate Ref. Rice, D.W., 1998
Special habitats Coral Reefs;
Special habitats Ref. Rice, D.W., 1998

Associations

Ref. Jefferson, T.A., S. Leatherwood and M.A. Webber, 1993
Associations
Associated with
Association remarks
Parasitism

feeding

Feeding type mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref. Jefferson, T.A., S. Leatherwood and M.A. Webber, 1993
Feeding habit hunting macrofauna (predator)
Feeding habit Ref. Jefferson, T.A., S. Leatherwood and M.A. Webber, 1993

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method original sample unfished population Remark
Troph s.e. Troph s.e.
From diet composition 4.50 0.80 Troph of juv./adults.
From individual food items 4.48 0.97 Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref. Brown, E.G. and G.J. Pierce, 1998
Ref. [ e.g. 3742]
Glossary [ e.g. cnidaria]
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