Fossil Phocidae in some Dutch collections (Mammalia, Carnivora)

Three cranial and seventy postcranial fossils are briefly described and identified as remains of Phocidae. Three of these are ascribed to the Bearded Seal Erignathus barbatus (Erxleben, 1777), nineteen to the Grey or Atlantic Seal Halichoerus grypus (Fabricius, 1791), and the remainder to the Common...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bree, P.J.H. van, Bosscha Erdbrink, D.P.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:unknown
Published: 1987
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.repository.naturalis.nl/record/505006
http://www.repository.naturalis.nl/document/548663
Description
Summary:Three cranial and seventy postcranial fossils are briefly described and identified as remains of Phocidae. Three of these are ascribed to the Bearded Seal Erignathus barbatus (Erxleben, 1777), nineteen to the Grey or Atlantic Seal Halichoerus grypus (Fabricius, 1791), and the remainder to the Common or Harbour Seal Phoca vitulina (Linnaeus, 1758). Five specimens were collected on the Meuse levels, an artificial plain South of the Hook of Holland formed from sand sucked up at the locality. All other material comes from the North Sea bottom and was found by fishermen trawling for flat-fish.