First confirmed record of a leucistic Antarctic fur seal pup born outside the Scotia Arc Islands

• Published in: Polar Biology
• Main Authors: Wege, Mia, Postma, Martin, Tosh, Cheryl A., De Bruyn, P.J. Nico, Bester, Marthan Nieuwoudt
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer 2015
• Subjects: Leucism; Arctocephalus gazella; Marion Island; Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella); Antarctic; Austral; Antarc*; Antarctic Fur Seal; Polar Biology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2263/44185; https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1573-z

A leucistic Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) pup was born on subantarctic Marion Island during the austral summer of 2010/2011. This is the first confirmed record of a leucistic fur seal pup born outside the Scotia Arc islands. Additionally, we report on a leucistic adult female Antarctic fur seal producing typical black pups for five non-consecutive summers on Marion Island. The birth of a leucistic pup, together with the multiple black pups produced by the leucistic female, suggests that the recessive genes responsible for leucism are now entrenched within the Marion Island population. Department of Science and Technology, through the National Research Foundation (South Africa). http://link.springer.com/journal/300 2016-04-30 hb2015