Eumetopias jubatus ( Schreber, 1776 )

Jo, Yeong-Seok, Baccus, John T. & Koprowski, John L., 2018, Mammals of Korea: a review of their taxonomy, distribution and conservation status, Zootaxa 4522 (1), pp. 1-216 : 93

Eumetopias jubatus ( Schreber, 1776) —Steller Sea Lion, northern sea lion

Phoca jubata Schreber, 1776 p.300 ; Type locality- north part of Pacific (Bering islands, Russia).

Otaria stelleri Lesson in Saint-Vincent, 1828 p.420: Type locality- Northern Pacific Ocean.

E. jubata: Kuroda, 1938 p.23 ; Ellerman & Morrison-Scott, 1951 p.323; Won, 1958 p.436; Won, 1967 p.96.

E. jubatus: Won, 1968 p.326 ; Kim, 2004 p.187.

Range: Eumetopias jubatus occurs along the eastern coast of Korea in winter and early spring ( Fig. 61 ).

Remarks: E. j. jubatus forms an Asian stock, and a western Steller sea lion group as an Alaskan stock ( Berta & Churchill 2012). The case for recognition of the two subspecies rests largely on genetic evidence (mtDNA and microsatellites; Baker et al. 2005).

Conservation status: The conservation status of the northern fur seal has recently become confusing. The Ministry of Environment of South Korea designated E. jubatus as an Endangered Species in 1997. However, the Ministry of Environment announced in 2012 the delisting of the species from the endangered species list because E. jubatus had become extirpated in the waters of Korea. Then the government withdrew the declaration of delisting after one male occurred on Jeju Island. Also, the Ministry of Land, Transports and Maritime Affairs designated this species a Protected Marine Species in 2007.

Figures

FIGURE 61. Range map of Eumetopias jubatus in Korea.