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[[File:AmundsenSea-map.jpg|thumb|300px|left]]
[[File:Crabeater Pléneau Bay.jpg|250px|left]]
The '''Amundsen Sea''', an arm of the [[Southern Ocean]] off of [[Westarctica]] in western [[Antarctica]], lies between [[Cape Flying Fish]] (the northwestern tip of [[Thurston Island]]) to the east and [[Cape Dart]] on [[Siple Island]] to the west. Cape Flying Fish marks the boundary between the Amundsen Sea and the [[Bellingshausen Sea]]. West of Cape Dart there is an unnamed "marginal sea" of the Southern Ocean between the Amundsen and [[Ross Sea]]s. The Norwegian expedition of 1928–1929 under Captain Nils Larsen named the body of water for the Norwegian polar explorer [[Roald Amundsen]] while exploring this area in February 1929.
The '''[[crabeater seal]]''' is a true seal with a circumpolar distribution around the coast of [[Antarctica]]. They are found primarily on the free-floating [[pack ice]] that extends seasonally out from the Antarctic coast, which they use as a platform for resting, mating, social aggregation and accessing their prey. They are by far the most abundant seal species in the world. While population estimates are uncertain, there are at least 7 million and possibly as many as 75 million individuals. This success of this species is due to its specialized predation on the abundant [[Antarctic krill]] of the [[Southern Ocean]], for which it has uniquely adapted, sieve-like tooth structure.


The sea is mostly ice-covered, and the [[Thwaites Ice Tongue]] protrudes into it. The [[ice sheet]] which drains into the Amundsen Sea averages about 3 km (1.9 mi) in thickness; roughly the size of the state of Texas, this area is known as the Amundsen Sea Embayment (ASE); it forms one of the three major ice-drainage basins of the [[West Antarctic Ice Sheet]].
Despite its name, crabeater seals do not eat crabs. As well as being an important [[krill]] predator, the crabeater seal is an important component of the diet of [[leopard seal|leopard seals]], which consume about 80% of all crabeater pups.


It is Westarctica's largest sea. '''([[Amundsen Sea|Full Article...]])'''
'''([[crabeater seal|Full Article...]])'''

Latest revision as of 13:37, 19 March 2026

Crabeater Pléneau Bay.jpg

The crabeater seal is a true seal with a circumpolar distribution around the coast of Antarctica. They are found primarily on the free-floating pack ice that extends seasonally out from the Antarctic coast, which they use as a platform for resting, mating, social aggregation and accessing their prey. They are by far the most abundant seal species in the world. While population estimates are uncertain, there are at least 7 million and possibly as many as 75 million individuals. This success of this species is due to its specialized predation on the abundant Antarctic krill of the Southern Ocean, for which it has uniquely adapted, sieve-like tooth structure.

Despite its name, crabeater seals do not eat crabs. As well as being an important krill predator, the crabeater seal is an important component of the diet of leopard seals, which consume about 80% of all crabeater pups.

(Full Article...)