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monk seal

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monk seal

 
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–noun
a small, dark brown, subtropical seal of the genus Monachus: the three species, M. tropicalis of the Caribbean, M. schauinslandi of Hawaiian island regions, and M. monachus of the Mediterranean, are endangered.
Origin:
1835–45; appar. trans. of the NL genus name Monachus (see monk ), orig. a specific name (Phoca monacha), prob. in allusion to the animal's gray coloration and isolated breeding sites; cf. F moine, It monaco the monk seal, lit., monk
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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monk seal  
n.  Any of several small subtropical seals of the genus Monachus found in the Hawaiian, Mediterranean, and Caribbean regions and characterized by brown, black, or gray coloration and by folds of skin on the neck.

[From the resemblance of the skin folds to a monk's cowl.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Encyclopedia

monk seal

any of three little-known tropical or subtropical seals of the genus Monachus, family Phocidae. Characterized by V-shaped hind flippers, monk seals are brown or black as pups, and dark gray or brown above, paler or whitish below as adults. They feed on fish, cephalopods, and crustaceans. Adults are 2-3 m (6.6-10 feet) long and weigh 225-275 kg (500-610 pounds)

Learn more about monk seal with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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