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Growth of female southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina at Macquarie Island

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Abstract

Body growth of 137 female southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) over 1 year of age was investigated at subantarctic Macquarie Island. An asymptotic straight line, snout–tail body length of 2.57±0.03 m was estimated to be attained at 9 years of age, using a three-parameter Gompertz equation. A significant increase of approximately 0.1 m (5%) in mean body length of females between 1 and 10 years of age was estimated to have occurred between the 1950–1960s and 1990s at Macquarie Island. This is consistent with a reduction in both the rate of population decline and the age of onset of sexual maturity. Age determination using dental cementum layers and the importance of standardised measurements in pinniped growth studies are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

J. Russell, P. Davis, S. Thalmann, C. Baars, M. Maurice and C. McMahon assisted in the field. D. Thiele provided useful advice on tooth sectioning, R. Teague assisted with teeth preparation and sectioning, and sectioning equipment was made available by the Department of Anatomy, University of Tasmania. The British Antarctic Survey provided the 1988–1990 South Georgia data. I. Field, M. Castellini and two anonymous reviewers provided constructive comments on the manuscript, and D. Middleton gave useful statistical advice. The Australian Antarctic Division provided logistical support, and the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service granted permission for the study to be undertaken. This study was approved by the Antarctic Animal Care and Ionising Radiation Usage Ethics Committee (Department of Environment, Sport and Territories).

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  1. Cameron M. Bell

    Present address: Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment, 13 St John’s Avenue, New Town, TAS, 7008, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Antarctic Wildlife Research Unit, School of Zoology, University of Tasmania, GPO Box 252-05, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia

    Cameron M. Bell, Mary-Anne Lea & Mark A. Hindell

  2. Australian Antarctic Division, Channel Highway, Kingston, TAS, 7050, Australia

    Harry R. Burton

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  1. Cameron M. Bell
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  2. Harry R. Burton
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  3. Mary-Anne Lea
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  4. Mark A. Hindell
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Correspondence to Cameron M. Bell.

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Bell, C.M., Burton, H.R., Lea, MA. et al. Growth of female southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina at Macquarie Island. Polar Biol 28, 395–401 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-004-0694-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-004-0694-1

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